party and only or principally because of the fourth Commandment which they are unwilling to honour with the title and dignity of a Morall Law without some qualification or distinction The others indeed they yeeld Morall but not this as knowing they loose their whole cause unlesse they refuse the fourth Commandment We therefore who have undertaken the speciall defence of the fourth Commandment must take speciall paines to maintain the whole Decalogue together and so that Law as one of the tenne to be Morall and Perpetuall by arguments which are common to all those Lawes together Concerning which we thus proceed First for the stating of the Question II. The question stated we premise this consideration That by any of those Lawes being in force we mean that it is in force in the Words of it according to their Litterall and Gramaticall sence and not in any mysticall or Spirituall meaning or forsaking the words to fly only to a generall equity as some speak For both all Lawyers say and reason it self shewes That a Law is no longer in force then the Words of it are in force at least those that contain the substance of it And therefore to forsake the Words and fly only to a Spirituall meaning or generall equity is in true construction As well may we say that the whole ceremoniall or Iudiciall Law is still in force as any command of the Decalogue whose words are not in force but only a Spirituall meaning or generall equity to flye from the Law and forsake it altogether and pronounce it Void For the Spirituall meaning or Generall equity are precedent to a particular Law and have no need of such a particular Law to confirme or hold them up For they would have been in force though that particular Law had never been we mean though those Words which now are said to be voyd had never been given for a Law and are no lesse strong when that particular Law is made voyd altogether So that that particular Law is altogether made voyd when the Words of it are rejected as no longer obligatory Therefore we say by a Law in force we understand the Words of each Commandment in their substance and according to the Literall and Gramaticall sence of them which that we may evince to be true of all the Tenne Commandements we thus argue III. 1. Argument From the Testament of the Church in all ages First we Alledge the Testimony of the Church of God many wayes notified 1. In the Vniversall usage of the Name of the Decalogue or Tenne Commandements derived from God himself first who so denominates then Exod. 34. Deut. 4. and Deut. 10. Taken up by all Churches at this Day and continued through all Ages of the Church unto this day 2. In putting all of them in the Words and syllables into their Catechismes to be taught in the very Words of them unto all Children and ignorants only indeed the Idolatrous Church of Rome hath left the 2d wholly out of their Catechismes as too grossely contradicting their abhominations of Image making and Image-worshipping 3. Accordingly Expounding all of them in all Catechisticall Sermons and Treatises Though in them we confesse they do diverse of them Forsake the Words of some Commandements and particularly of the fourth too much 4. But further the Reformed Churches in many places if not in all have all the Tenne Commandements at large written upon the Walls of their Churches that he that runs may read them and learn even from thence that they hold them all perpetuall 5. They appoint them to be all publikely repeated in the Church every Lords day 6. Our Church of England hath gone beyond all in this This was penned while the book of Common Prayes was in use in the Church and highly magnified by those who are Adversaries in this Cause against whom it still remains a convincing Argument requiring besides all the former things 1. A promise of the observation of them by the childe that is to be baptized viz. from the Sureties in the childes name 2. The Sureties that present the childe to Baptisme by a particular charge after it is baptized That they see it be taught as a chiefe necessary thing the Ten Commandements in the English tongue 3. After the solemn publike rehearsall of them severally and distinctly all the Congregation to say Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keep this Law 4. And finally at the close of all to say Lord have mercy upon us and write all these thy Lawes in our hearts we beseech thee In all which it cannot be avoyded but it must be acknowledged IV. Otherwise guilty of a double sin 1. That All generally agree in avouching our Rule That all the Decalogue is perpetuated to this day and every one of the ten Commandements in the very words of it concerne us all as well at this day as any people or persons in any former age since it was first given Or else they are very unwise in all this to say the least that can be But indeed more must be said For hence it will follow also 2. That if the whole Decalogue be not now in force and that there be not ten Commandements now perpetual but nine or eight only and so if the words of any one of the ten be not now at all in force no more then the Law of the Passeover or those of the other Jewish Festivals as some private men have been bold to speak this kind of language then is the Church universally in all Ages and at this day in all parts of the World undeniably and grievously guilty of a double sinne 1. In laying a fearfull stumbling block before all her children 1. In laying a stumbling block before children in the very name of the Decalogue or Ten Commandements there being not so many now to us And specially in teaching all ignorant persons the words of them all and most of all the words of the 4 th Commandement which are so many and so plaine for but six dayes work together and then a seventh dayes rest to be kept holy which while they heare and must learne and repeat the words constantly they cannot but think but the very words bind them and not a meere generall equity only or we know not what spirituall meaning far remote from the words For that they believe that should only have been taught them now if that only had been in force and they not to be troubled to learn a great many words which doe not at all concerne them there being no such thing to be looked to as the words pretend commanded by God and which are only apt to ensnare their consciences in needlesse superstition and scrupulositie Therefore we must needs confesse that though the Church of Rome be Idolatrous in making and worshipping of Images yet are they wiser in their generation and more true to their Principles in leaving out the second Commandement wholly
or too little Time for attending on God and their soules too often or too seldome or even perhaps whether the particular Dayes were or could be seasonably determined or observed conveniently A Conscience that must venture and suffer for a practice is in a miserable condition if it have no certainty that God requires what it doth and forbids what it forbeares And on the other side the necessities of the soule and its eternall state to be above all worldly things regarded and manifold sentences in the Scriptures to that effect and Gods honour and service to be preferred before mens and before any thing that can concerne ones selfe will never suffer any Conscience to be at peace that observes not sufficient Time for Religion constantly And both together shew there had need be another authority determining it then their own which we say can be no other but Gods How our Adversaries will or can satisfie themselves or others about this Case we doe not well conceive Somewhat it is that they offer to say towards it which we will here briefly touch because we shall be forced to consider their sentences againe elsewhere XVII Some Exceptions to this answered 1. One while they tell us that the fourth Commandement is Morall-Naturall only for Publike Worship 2. Another while some of them say that the Commandement is not given to servants and so by consequence not to any that are not Lords and Masters of their own Time in respect of men as children wives and any inferiors set to worke by superior authority of Governours 3. And some againe say that Christians in Pagan Countries ought to keep the Sunday as having been appointed by the Christian Church A little for present answer to each of these The two first directly pervert the state of the Question and affirme no determination no observation lying upon their consciences who are under others authority unlesse their superiors have determined Times for them and Times for publike worship But our Question supposes that sufficient Times are to be determined for all men by one or other and that for solitary worship where there is or can be no publike 2. For this also we have proved to be Morall-Naturall and necessary to Religion that there be such determinations of sufficient Time for all men 3. Even themselves at times and by fits make it Morall-Naturall in the fourth Commandement to have and observe sufficient Times determined 4. And is it now a manifest contradiction to say a Commandement is Morall-Naturall that is necessary to all men and yet that if there be no publike worship a man is free as one of them expresly speaks Can the neglect of others free me from a Morall Commandement totally We say totally for they make this publike worship the whole Morality of the fourth Commandement Againe is there any other Commandement of the Decalogue from which any man can at any time be said to be totally free Father or Mother may dye But there are other superiours still alive or even inferiours to whom the fifth Commandement continually binds to afford some honour and so of the rest Again Morall Naturall is by themselves described to be universall and perpetuall How is this so if the command extend to no more but that which is neither universall nor perpetuall Not universall because not to servants at all if their Masters order otherwise and will not let them forbeare work Not perpetuall when there may all the Time he is in such a Country a Captive be no publique worship with in his reach But such contradictions men must needs run into that leave the roade-way of the Scriptures the Kings high way the way of Gods Commandements the Royall Law as Saint Iames calls it Iam. 2.9 to follow the by-paths of their own or other mens devisings And as for that one of them sayes That because Sunday hath been established used in the Christian Church for aday of divine service Prim. a man namely in a pagan country ought to apply himself privately to religious exercises with greater assiduity then on other dayes We desire him to satisfy us whether by the words he ought he meanes that he ought in conscience as a necessary duty of Religion he ought in obedience to the Morall Naturall law of God for having and observing a determinate Time to do thus though his Pagan Governour Master or Prince forbid him and to keep him from it set him all day long to some hard bodily labour and that from weeke to weeke allowing him neither that day not any other for his devotions and private exercises of Religion If he say no this is not his meaning as not thinking it reasonable to put a poor captive to venture upon the rage of his prophane Master or Governour Then his answer is but a collusion and nothing at all to the purpose of our case If he say yes he ought to do so and venture to suffer for it though not the whole of the day but only some part of it we reply 1. Who shall determine how much of the day If he will take but our Churches Homily of the place and Time of Prayer he will find the whole day called for If the Canons of 1603. there is little lesse If he take but even the practise of any Christian Church in the World even during the Publike Worship Yet 2. this is more then he shall be allowed by his Pagan Superiours and so must resolve to endure sufferings even to extremity perhaps for it And in this case is not here a very goodly ground of encouragement to suffer upon The Churches establishment or usage of a day Whereas when we urge the Commandement of God it is usually by our disputers thought most unreasonable to lay such a yoke upon poor Christian captives And therefore we remember not that they ever durst any of them to put any conscience upon sufferings in their way for their sufficient Time or even their Publique Worship Morall Naturall and the Churches determination of either But we must needs professe for our parts that we dare do no other for a weekely Sabbath and the Lords day particularly as determined by God And whatever they think of this hazard or choise and that our Doctrine thrusts such poor captives into miserable straites That either they must sin against God in breaking the Sabbath or provoke their ungodly superiours desperately against them by keeping to it We cannot but say that we esteeme such captives happy rather that have the doctrine of the Sabbath in their hearts to warrant their sufferings much more then such who according to their opinion should think they were bound by their captivity and the Command of obeying their Governours though Pagans and profane to keep no fourth Commandement at all no Sabbath at all nor ordinarily sufficient Time for Gods Solemne Worship even solitarily and the takeing speciall care of their own soules good And if ever it should be our lot
Sabbatum Redivivum OR THE Christian Sabbath VINDICATED IN A Full Discourse concerning the Sabbath And the LORDS DAY Wherein whatsoever hath been written of late for or against the Christian Sabbath is exactly but modestly Examined And the perpetuity of a Sabbath deduced from grounds Of Nature and Religious Reason By Daniel Cawdrey and Herbert Palmer Members Of the Assembly of Divines Divided into Foure Parts 1. Of the Decalogue in generall and other Laws of God together with the Relation of Time to Religion 2. Of the fourth Commandement of the Decalogue in speciall 3. Of the old Sabbath in particular 4. Of the Lords Day in particular The FIRST PART Ezek. 22.26 They have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths and I am profaned amongst them Mark 2.28 The SONNE OF MAN is Lord also of the Sabbath London Printed by Robert White for Thomas Vnderhill and are to be sold at the Signe of the Bible in Woodstreete 1645. The License THis Treatise entituled Sabbatum Redivivum Or the Christian Sabbath vindicated as in my opinion the most satisfactory of any I have seen and that in a point of Divinity wherein as appeares by the many Books written against it the wisdome of the flesh maintaines as great an enmity against God as in any whatsoever I recommend unto the Presse as of excellent use in these times CHARLES HERLE The Contents of the first Part. CHAP. I. OF the Term of a Morall Law and the distinction of Laws into Ceremoniall Judiciall and Morall And of Morall Laws into Naturall and Positive CHAP. II. Rules to know a Law to be Morall though but positive CHAP. III. Every Law of the Decalogue is a Morall and Perpetuall Law CHAP. IV. The Exceptions to the former Rule answered CHAP. V. Christ hath confirmed all the Commandements of the Decalogue as perpetuall Mat. 5.17 c. CHAP. VI. Solemne Worship is Morall-Naturall both Solitary and conjoyned in Families and Churches and how far CHAP. VII Generall Considerations about Time and its profitablenesse in reference to Morall actions of importance CHAP. VIII Considerations of Time in relation to Religion and the Worship of God how far it may be profitable thereunto CHAP. IX A Determinate Solemn Time for Gods Worship is Morall-Naturall and that in the first â—ommandement And what kinde and manner of Determination of Time for Religion may be proved Necessary by the Law or Light of Nature and generall Rules of Scripture CHAP. X. The Determination of the chiefe Solemn Time of Worship for all men Necessarily and Ordinarily Sufficient for the chief Time as also of the particular day for it belongs not to Men but to GOD. CHAP. XI Two Corollaries from the former Discourses about Solemne Time 1. All Times and Dayes are not equall under the Gospell 2. Time and Place are not equall circumstances in Religion CHAP. XII The Necessary sufficient chief Time for Religion together with the particular Day for it is a part of Worship and not a meer Adjunct or Circumstance only Errata PAge 108. Line 2. And specially c. unto the end of that Paragraph should have been inserted line 16. after the word pleases p. 136. l. 33. for much read which p. 168. l. 7. for coninuance r. continuance p. 233. l. 34. for lets r. let p. 242. l. 16. for mahomet r. Mahomet l. 33. for if r. If p. 260. l. 19. for puplique r. publique p. 261. l. 17. after of r. it p. 266. l. 32. for Chhistian r. Christian p. 273. l. 3. for Pimitive r. Primitive p. 274. l. 25. for justification r. institution p. 275. l. 12. for possibilies r. possibilities p. 276. l. 33. for Apostle r. Apostles p. 277. l. 4. for the r. that p. 282. l. 23. for ver 16. r. ver 14. p. 283. l. 25. blot out not p. 296. l. 30. for them r. that l. 36. for charity r. Charybdis p. 305. l. 13. for mianly r. mainly p. 314. l. 5. for referoed r. referred p. 318. l. 27. for continue r. containe p. 322. l. 7. for oligatory r. obligatory p. 332. l. 25. for Lev. 23. r. Lev. 27. p. 346. l. 28. for viz. r. both p. 352. l. 15. for that r. the To the Christian Reader WE are now Christian Reader to enter upon a very great work not so much in respect of the bulk and length as containing under it many controversies as in respect of the subject matter it selfe the worth and Dignity of it The vindication of the Christian Sabbath In the entrance and Preface whereunto we think it not amisse to give thee a briefe account of some particulars which may not being satisfied stand as prejudices in the reading of the following Discourse and they are these 1. What is the concernment of a Sabbath that we are so large in vindication of it 2. Why after so many books of this subject we adde any more 3. Why seeing there are three parts more this part comes forth alone without its fellowes For the first of these In reading of the Scriptures 1. The Elogies of a Sabbath we do observe that there is not any one part of Religion except but the mystery of our Redemption of which more is spoken than of the Sabbath The Elogies of it are so many that they would easily swell into a volume if we listed to enlarge our selves We shall therefore give thee but a touch or taste of the chiefest Heads 1. In Generall it is the Compendium of all Religion And first of all in generall we may call the Sabbath and the due observation of it the Compendium or Continent of all Religion Hereupon it is very observable that as the commandement of it stands in the Heart of the Decalogue as the bond of both the Tables so it is in other places of Scripture joyned with the chiefest Duties of both Of the first Table in that place You shall keep my Sabbaths Levit. 26.2 and reverence my Sanctuary Of the second Table in that other place You shall feare every man his father and his mother Levit. 19.3 Having all the Priviledges that Commend the most Substantiall Lawes in Scripture and sanctifie my Sabbaths The Law of the Sabbath hath all those priviledges that do commend any the most substantiall Lawes in Scripture It is one of the Ten spoken by God himself with Majesty and Terror written in the Tables of stone with his own finger put in the Arke by his own command together with the rest to signifie as even one of the Adversaries sayes the perpetuity of it 2. In Particular 1. The Frequent mention of it in all parts of sacred Scripture More Particularly 1. There is as frequent mention of it as of any one Commandement implying as on the one side the Importance of it so on the other Mens untowardnesse and backwardnesse in the observation of it There is no part of Scripture wherein there is not something remarkable of a Sabbath 1. In the Law or five Books
God But these are still but accidentall Considerations as we said before and not having that direct and substantiall influence into Religion that the Continuance and Frequencie of Time determined hath and namely that the Continuance of a whole Day in the frequent revolution of a Week of seven Dayes hath which we say was together in Time determined Gen. 2.3 with that seventh Day in order for the Quando or particular Day for that World But before it in Nature the particular Day that Seventh being in Nature after one of seven And undoubtedly one Day of seven was determined in the fourth Commandement And we say That and no more directly and substantially commanded and determined there and hope to prove it sufficiently in due place time as being of substantiall importance to Religion and the worship of God which God then gave out his CoÌ„mandements to settle the substantials of N. B. All other Commandements of the Decalogue are wholly substantiall and so perpetuall The Fourth then being substantiall for one day in seven for Religion This may conclude that to be the whole substance of the Commandement and not that particular seventh day which hath no substantiality in it And then that one day in seven is likewise perpetuall as appears by all the other CoÌ„mandements of the first Table by all the Commandements of the second Table being substantials of duty to Man And that the 7th day Sabbath though then in force was not at all directly commanded there nor as any part of the substance of it as being not of any substantiality toward Religion more then any other day of the seven Would then have been if then commanded by God as that was before that time Or then the Lords day is now supposing it commanded now as we doe by God or even commanded only by the Church as they suppose if it be but certain that the old Day is no longer in force In a word This is that we say think we have clearly proved from the nature of the respects of Time toward Religion as before toward study for Learning or any other Civill businesse That the Quando Season or Order of Beginnings viz. This or that particular Day first or last of seven or of any other number hath no Materiality or Substantiality in it toward Religion to make it be profitably determined rather then such another of such a number but only accidentally And so in this Consideration to be greatly inferiour to the Quamdiu or continuance as also to the Quoties or frequencie of revolution which are so mainly profitable as we shewed before 3. Whence it followes clearly as was also said before in relation to Learning That whereas a Determination of the Continuance and Frequencie of Time for Religion XXIII Therefore there may be an alteration of it without hurt to Religion whether of either of them singly or both of them joyntly cannot be altered in any remarkable degree without an answerable alteration in the Profit of it toward Religion namely the Profit must needs be greater if it be altered from a lesse proportion to a greater as from halfe a Day to a whole Dayes continuance and from the Frequencie of one Day in seven to one in six or five and so the profit will be lesse if altered from a greater proportion to a lesse as from a whole dayes continuance to 3 or 4 houres only of a day and from the frequencie of one day in seven to one in eight or ten only and consequently a determination of these respects of time remains in the nature of it constantly perpetually profitable to Religion It is quite otherwise with the Season or Order of Time for Religion For of that there may be a remarkable alteration as from the last Day of seven to the first of seven from Evening to Morning * It is ususually taken for granted that the Sabbath of old began in the Evening This we doe not affirme nor yet altogether deny but shall consider it hereafter But now we speak of it by way of supposition that it â—â—d so begin or the like and yet no alteration at all unlesse in some Accidentall Considerations forenoted in the Profit of it In as much as still God and the Soule may have the same proportion of Time both for Continuance and Frequencie singly or jointly and so as much substantiall advantage and no more be toward Religion in the alteration of the Season or Order of Beginning as was before this was altered We say again there is no substantiall convenience or inconvenience profit or disadvantage to Religion in the perpetuating or changing the Season or Order of Beginning from one Day of the Week to another or from Evening to Morning * Whereas we say It makes no substantiall change in the profit to alter the Beginning from Evening to Morning We yet conceive an accidentall profit by it in that by the meanes of the beginning in the Morning we are sure to have the Continuance if for a whole Day not to be ended while we are awake The profit of which we shall argue hereafter But that if no accidentall Consideration recommend a Change that Season or Order of Beginning may be perpetuated under the New Testament which was under the Old without prejudice to Religion And if any Accidentall Consideration doe recommend a Change that Season or Order of Beginning the Day or Time for beginning the Day may be changed and that fitly so it be done by sufficient authority Also in that change It is all one what Season or Order of Beginning be placed in the stead of the former unlesse there be some particular accidentall consideration that recommends one rather then another and then that for that cause is fittest to be chosen and determined accordingly And these things we affirme of the alteration of the Season or Order of Beginning under the Old Testament from the last Day of the Week to the first Day of the Week and from beginning in the Evening to beginning in the Morning This alteration is without any substantiall prejudice to Religion so long as the Determination of the Continuance and Frequencie joyntly that is of one whole Day in seven remaines unaltered Also it is without any substantiall profit For still there is just the same and no more nor lesse advantage toward Religion Gods honour and the Soules good that there was before And God altering it as we say He hath done the Authority is unquestionably sufficient And we have also sufficient ground recommending such an alteration and such a choice even supposing as our Anti-Sabbatarians doe that God hath put over this authority to the Church not only from the Type annexed to the old Day but from a greater benefit then that which the Old Day was a memoriall of namely the Redemption of the World being above the Creation and this Redemption completed in the morning of the Resurrection day while withall
Or 2. thereby to hinder the necessary businesses of mens worldly callings wherein againe the Papists offend in making their Holy-dayes so frequent as that they are exceeding burdensome specially to the poorer sort And this also is possible to be a fault even in voluntary attendances upon Religion sometimes If any doe it so as thereby to neglect their callings ordinarily and remarkably they offend though not against the fourth Commandement properly but only against the indulgence therein granted of six Dayes worke ordinarily and directly against the eighth Commandement or any other that properly concernes their particular callings But avoyding these errours we say no Church nor no Man is to be blamed but commended rather for determining or voluntary applying any Times for Râ—ligion the solemne Worship of God and looking after the soules good the weekely Sabbath or Lords Day of Gods determination being not Exclusive nor any other as we have said XXXIV 2. An initiall determination is certainly profitable 2. In the next place we affirme that an initiall determination may be certainly profitable to Religion Namely Where there is but so much wisdome that by determining so much Continuance or such a Frequencie or such a Season there will be or can be no prejudice to bodily necessities and necessary worldly occasions Not as concluding so much and so often to be enough for the whole or chiefe Time for Religion for that were to make it a Conclusive determination of which our next Consideration is to speake But that so much and so often may infallibly be allowed And therefore so much and so often at least may be determined and as for a beginning for which cause we count the terme of an initiall determination proper And this will according to the proportions of it be so farre forth serviceable and profitable to Religion and particularly against unwillingnesses and unnecessary interruptions As for instance it may be at least for some men and so hath been found in experience very profitable to determine to themselves at least a quarter of an houre in the morning every Day and as much at night or toward night for Religion and solitary attendance upon God And such a like proportion or more for their Family-devotions morning or noone night or evening That at least we say so much so often shall be imployed and when they have freedome they may enlarge the Continuance specially or sometimes even the Frequencie voluntarily and according to occasions And this is properly an initiall determination and it cannot be denied but such an one may be profitable as hath been shewed XXXV A conclusive determination is not profitable in some cases 3 Now for a Conclusive determination and namely of both the Continuance and Frequencie joyntly seeing that it is the chiefe determination of Time for Religion generally or the determination of the chiefe Time for the Generall of Religion which come all to one as hath been intimated before There is a twofold Consideration to be noted one shewing in what cases such a determination can with no probability be conceived to be profitable to Religion The other declaring upon what conditions it may be certainly and infallibly profitable For the first of these this we say That a Conclusive determination of the Continuance and Frequencie of Time joyntly cannot in all probability be profitably made by such persons as want either such wisdome or willingnesse or authority as is plainly requisite to a determination of this Nature viz. of the chiefe Time for Religion For 1. if they want wisdome 1. When men want wisdome either to set out the whole proportion as how many houres in all in so many Dayes or to distribute this proportion fitly between the Continuance and Frequency as they may erre in either case and on either hand in either case so in all probability they are like to erre one way or other If they be affectionately zealous for Religion they may possibly erre in determining too large a proportion too long a Continuance and too frequent a Revolution On the other side if they be sollicitous for worldly businesse they may determine too little a proportion and so too short a Continuance or too seldome a Revolution or both And if they mistake not the proportion and that they should not consent to what we before discoursed of the greater profit in the largest Continuance as perhaps some may not assent to it then againe they may erre perhaps not a little in sharing the proportion between the Continuance and Frequencie and both faile of advancing Religion so much as they might have done as also greatly prejudice mens worldly businesses which in conclusion may happen to fall upon Religion againe For that men in those cases will be apt to make too bold with the religious Time under pretence of necessity at least In a word this Time being to be the necessary and ordinarily sufficient chiefe solemne Time of Worship Where there wants wisdome to judge 1. What is necessary and 2. What is ordinarily sufficient for the chiefe solemne Time in regard both of Continuance Frequency joyntly It may as well be conceived that a blind man will find the right way where there are divers turnings of which he is not aware as that there can be a profitable Conclusive determination made for Religion by such Persons XXXVI 2. Or willingnesse 2. If they want willingnesse to imploy Time in religious Duties themselves and so to have others imploy Time in it It is yet much more certaine that the determination will not be profitably made For they must needs both be apt to think not so much or so often to be necessary as indeed is and so to misse-judge the whole proportion counting much lesse or seldomer sufficient then they should doe As also howsoever for want of affection to forbear to determine themselves or others to any such proportion as they have no will should be observed Of which there needs no other proofe then that of too many pretenders at large to Religion that are so farre from determining any Time to themselves or their families where they thinke themselves wholly left at Liberty that they never so much as observe any voluntarily in any constancie and much lesse have any families-devotions scarce thanksgivings before or after meals at all through the whole years or their whole lives What likelyhood then can there be that such or even much better then they supposing them to be yet in the ranke of the unwilling will ever make a profitable determination of the necessary and ordinarily sufficient chiefe solemne Time for Religion As soone will a covetous man tax himselfe and his posterity to as much as is fit for such to pay weekly and yearly even to the worlds end who yet by his good will cannot afford to part with a farre smaller proportion and grudges at any thing that is laid upon him though farre short of his due XXXVII 3. Or
that yet hath not also an authority sufficient to change the number that one alteration would make them guilty of transgression of a Morall Commandement of God namely in the point of the number which even once must not be done by men under any pretence whatsoever To apply this now in a word to our businesse in hand as God unquestionably determined for the Jewes and we say for the old world the last of the seven so upon the supposition of one Day in seven perpetually determined as we say in the fourth Commandement And supposing also that the Church had power after Christs resurrection and ascention to change that Day to another Day of the seven Yet by this argumentation they will be found to be determined to the first Day of the Week and to no other whensoever they should make the change for else doe what they can they would the first time break the number which without speciall allowance they might not doe without sinne And so in conclusion it will come to this passe that it must be acknowledged to be Gods own determination even by vertue of the number remaining perpetually determined in the fourth Commandement And so in that sense supposing the old seventh Day abrogated we may both truly and properly say The first Day of the Week the Lords day is determined to us and must be observed by us even by vertue of the fourth Commandement N. B. which is a thing most worthy of a speciall note and may perhaps afford a more satisfying reason why there is no expresse institution mentioned of the first Day of the Week in the New Testament then usually hath been thought Namely because the vertue of the fourth Commandement doth of it selfe fall upon that Day supposing the former voyd And no other Day could have been chosen by the Church even in the silence of God without violation for once of the fourth Commandement in the number For though God we doubt not might have altered it to any other Day and even have wholly altered the number and taken one of six or five or one only of eight or ten at His pleasure whose all Times are as we have often said and desire often to remember yet He perpetuating the number no man or number of men in the Church could by humane authority determine any other Day for order but the first in stead of the last must succeed besides the high reason for that Day from Christs resurrection and resting from the work of our Redemption of which hereafter in due place Enough of our first Proposition LIV. 2. The same Day is necessary to them that live together The second is There is a necessity of the same particular Day and particular beginning of the Day to all within reach one of another to prevent mutuall hindrances and secure mutuall helpes in publike and in families Without this there would be nothing but confusion and God would not be rightly served jointly nor certainly by each one solitarily But still one or other would be interrupting and disappointing those that were neer them A man finds this very often in Family-Worship on the Week-Dayes and in Solitary Worship also that neighbours friends strangers have come and put him much by One while delayed his devotions another while forced him to abridge them and sometimes even to omit them altogether for that time through their importunities and businesses And the like experience a man meets with much more if he use to set apart a Day any thing often whether for himselfe alone solitarily or with his family he shall be divers times interrupted and hindred forced to break off do he what he can sometimes All which makes it necessary to have the beginning of the Day and so the ending of it and in a word the whole particular Day to be the same to all that are within the possibilitie of helping or hindring one another in Religion and the services of God publike domestick or solitary And this may serve rationally to answer a difficulty A difficulty dissolved supposed to be insuperable and opposed by the Historian expresly to overthrow the Lords day namely What is to be done by such who travelling East or West to such Degrees come to find that they have lost or gained a Day in their computation and so to question what Day they should observe and accordingly what beginning of the Day because the Climates vary so much that when it is morning in one it is noon in another and night in another and so proportionably as they travell The answer may be plainly and briefly this That such as travell by Sea are to observe the Day and the beginning as they did when they set forth that is as neere as they can in the morning as the morning falls out to them But if they come to Land and find that those to whom they come are by the great variation of the Climates through which they are passed a Day before them or a Day after them they are to observe it as those doe to whom they come that so all may mutually help and none hinder one another only by the reason of the former Proposition it seems fair to affirm that it is necessary for them if they find the Country to which they come a Day after them that they observe their own Day first and then the next Day with those of that Country and so God nor their soules shall be no losers neither yet their worldly occasions Gods providence having made the change to them for that once but without prejudice to any thing for which the Number and Day was appointed And here is indeed no inconvenience nor any thing to bogle at by such as count Gods service and the good of their soules and participation of His Ordinances orderly with others matters of more consequence then the nicety of Astronomicall observations of minutes and houres and Climates and the like God certainly is not the author of confusion neither would have his servants in the same Country be divided in their Solemne Times by the occasion of a long journey that some of them have taken though for once it may be with some as those in a journey at the season of the Passeover were to keep it that yeere the moneth after but not so the next yeere but with their brethren And much lesse may it be imagined that God sets so light by His Solemne Times as that such a nicety as this occasionall accident or any other variation of Climates and long time of Light or the like should disanull His Commandement about it Which as often as we read urged in any of our Adversaries books as most of our English Antisabbatarians make maine matter about the long time of Light in some Countries as an unanswerable Argument against the Morality of the fourth Commandement for one Day in seven We confesse we stand amazed at their presumption so to trifle with God and Religion and
to the distances of Places But yet they may be truly said to observe the solemne Time upon that same Day some beginning a little before others and so successively one after another to the end of the 24 houres of that Day one or other would be still imployed in the solemnity of Worship according to the Dayes determination And so an amends as we may say would be made for not beginning all at an instant in that hereby the Holy Time N. B. should be observed actually and continued in actuall services full 24 houres and so no part of it wholly shrunke up by sleepe or other interruptions For still in one part or other of the World whole Countries would be in their waking Time and so in the solemnity of their devotions For demonstration of this suppose at such a Place the Day begins an houre before at another as it is really so every Day in point of light and so of midnight and noone and evening c. and this other Place sees Day an houre before another yet more Westward and so of the rest as betweene Dover and the West of Ireland they say there is an houres difference Now by that Time the first Place hath begun and gone on in solemn Worship an houre the next begins and joyns with them and so the next till it be gone round So that by the twelft houre halfe the World are in their solemne Worship Publike or Private And then the other halfe takes the turne in their order till the twentifourth houre There cannot then we say be a better way to exercise the Communion of Saints upon earth Nor is there upon earth imaginable a fuller resemblance of the great and solemne Assembly which is constantly kept in Heaven And let that be further noted in a Word that the forementioned respects of Time Continuance Frequency and Season are not in Heaven distinguishable For they in Heaven doe keepe a constant and everlasting solemne Sabbatisme as it is cald Heb. 4. whereas we poore snakes on earth are forced to waite the returnes of solemne Times The reason is they above have no other worke to doe but to serve and Worship God they are spirits without bodies we on earth have bodies to care for as well as soules we have other callings commanded us to attend on as well as on Gods solemne Worship But yet it is fit we should as neer as we can conforme to them above which we say is chiefely by this joint observance of the same particular Day and number and length all the World over for our chiefe solemne Times Whereunto may be added for a conclusion that otherwise every sover all dominion as there are many in Germany and Italy and other Countries not subordinate to one Prince or State with their neighbours but small principalities and free States might vary the particular Day were it but to shew their liberty and so such as had occasion to travell among them would be very often either forced to breake the number determined to all or else keepe within doores upon their owne solemne Day and so want the help of others and be in danger to be interrupted by others And so every where upon the borders of Countries this hazard might be All which is prevented and only so by having all in all Countries of the World the same particular Day and beginning of it as we have said And so we have at length dispatched the whole of what we judge considerable about the profit and necessity of solemne Time generally and of the chiefe Time for Religion in speciall Except by whom the determination of this chiefe Time is to be made which now followes in the next Chapter CHAP. X. The Determination of the chiefe Solemne Time of Worship for all men necessary and ordinarily sufficient for the chiefe Time as also of the particular day for it belongs not to men but to God 1. The question explained HItherto in the former Chapters particularly about Time we have been laying foundations of fortifications where withall to defend the Perpetuity of the fourth Commandement for a seventh Day Sabbath and the Divine institution of the Lords Day the first day of the weeke for the particular day and to batter down the opposite Mounts of our adversaries both Sabbatarians and Antisabbatarians And as we have built upward we have planted some Peeces and discharged them against their workes in such fort as we are perswaded the judicious Reader already discernes them to shake and totter But now we are about to erect a Principall Tower which if we can firmely and strongly do All men will see that we have sufficiently secured our selves and our cause from any fear of future assaults from the Antisabbatarian party And as for the Jewish Sabbatarians we doubt not but we shall also quit our selves from them in the latter parts The matter we propound to be strengthned is the position exprest in the title of the Chapter That the Determination of the chiefe Solemne Time for all men necessary and ordinarily sufficient for the chiefe Time as also the particular day for it belongs not to men but to God To state this clearely we must needs repeate a little of our foregoing discourses and adde a few words more for full understanding of it 1. By the chiefe Solemne Time 1. What is meant by chiefe solemne Time we meane the Continuance and Frequency jointly that is so much at once so often and so often so much Time to be observed for Religion Gods honour and the soules good in Solemne Worship and that in a convenient large Proportion in the whole and a convenient large Continuance for the various kinds of worship publike domesticke and solitary and a convement space for serious performance of severall duties in each kind together with a convenient Frequency of Revolution of such continuance So as no other proportion of Time is or can be of Equall profit with this All other being lesse large for Continuance remarkably or remarkably lesse frequent and so cannot attaine to that substantiall profitablenesse to the generall of Religion that there is in the chiefe Solemne Time we speake of 2. By the Determination of this chiefe solemne Time 2. What by determination Necessary for all men we meane The appointing it so to all men by a law as that thenceforth all men that have this law given them and their posterity to the worlds end are bound in conscience to observe it and cause as much as lyes in them others also to observe it as necessary to Religion so as they sin that observe not the whole proportion or that observe it not according to the distribution of the Determination so much Continuance together in one day and no lesse and that dayes Frequency so often returning and no seldomer then is exprest in the Determination Only still admitting a reservation as we have oft touched before for necessary worldly occasions 3. What by
as Mahomet the veriest villaine one of them that ever lived in the world If they shall say that this day of Mahomets invention is to be abhorred indeed in token of detestation of his impiety but some other day might be yeelded to We reply 1. That still then Christians must suffer for that nicety of a day 2. That it is scarcely imaginable that any Pagan Governour would allow any other day then what they observed themselves for the first would be double against their profit in that 1. they could not have their servants labour when they were at leisure to joyne with them and over look them and when they were absent they would feare their work would be done but untowardly 2. Besides that whosoever observe a day doth it in some reference to their own Religion and so would rather tye them to that then let them have another specially 3. When they might be able to tell them out of our adversaries suppositions that their Religion their Scriptures did not determine them to any particular day but left it to their Governours to determine And so still they must observe a day invented by wicked men 3. However what day soever they took up a sober conscience would we think shrinke to throw away the Lords day at a Pagans command Let this we say be considered We on the other side being perswaded that God hath not only determined us to one day in seven by the fourth Commandement but to the Lords day for the particular day by those designations of His word as also that in this day this only the number was exactly preserved of one Day a Sabbath six Dayes worke even at the very Time of the change of the Day as we shewed in the former Chapter and that by this meanes God may have the same Day all the World over des other Arguments of which in their due Place We we say upon this perswasion can answer the question readily that we must hold to this particular Day the first Day of the weeke the Lords day and no other whoever commands or forbids offers or threatens For that Gods will must stand and be obeyed before mens against mens and He must be trusted to maintaine us our soules at least which is enough and the most we can be assured of in a hundred other cases in maintaining His Ordinances and appointments XX. 3. They know of no such authoritie We have yet one Argument more to urge against this Authority of Infidell and Pagan-governours for the sufficient Time for Religion and the particular Dayes for it If Pagan-governours have this Authority put into their hands by God Then it is reasonable they should know that this Authority is committed to them But Pagan-governours so farre as we remember in any story never knew of any such Authority committed to them Ergo It is not probable that any such Authority is put over to them The consequence of this Argument may be confirmed by the necessity of a determination to be made proved and confessed to be Morall Naturall And that it cannot be imagined such Princes should take this upon them and exercise this Authority unlesse they have some knowledge or perswasion that this Authority belongs to them The Antecedent may also be fairely argued from the silence of all bookes in this point For though we know that Pagan Princes and states did appoint some dayes extraordinarily yet we find not that they did so ordinarily nor ever thought they might doe so But what was done in this kind was from Oracles or pretences of Oracles of their gods by their priests or otherwise And the greatest flatterers of Pagan Princes never did that we remember ascribe this Authority to them as given them by their gods It were wonderfull then that we Christians should find out this Authority given by God to Pagan Princes of which as we said before there is not the least word nor intimation nor shadow of any such thing in Scripture and the Law of Nature also is sufficiently cleare against it We conclude then here the Authority is not and yet upon divers suppositions of our Adversaries touched already and to be toucht hereafter here it must be or no where among men for those that live in Pagan Countries For to come to the other sort of men That is the Church of God Of which we say as before XXI 2. Not to the Church for all mankind God hath not given to it the Authority of determining the chiefe solemne Time necessary and ordinarily sufficient for the chiefe Time unto all mankind Mankind in referrence to the Church is againe distinguishable into Pagans and Members of the Church Of the latter fort we shall dispute more at large of the former a few words may suffice which yet added to the former discourses will carry the Cause clearly and undeniably That it being Morall Naturall to all men to have and observe a sufficient Time determined for Religion This determination doth not nor cannot belong to men but to God himselfe Thus we reason concerning Pagans If the Church universall hath no Authority but ever her owne Members Then the Authority of determining the necessary and sufficient Time for Religion unto all men belongs not to the Church But the Church universall hath no Authority but over her owne Members Ergo The Authority of determining this Time unto all men belongs not to the Church The Consequence of this Argument cannot be denied Unlesse any would offer to say that all mankind are Members of the Church universall which is most absurd The Antecedent is easily proved As well 1. The Apostle denies any such Authority to be in the Church of Iudging those that are without 1 Cor. 5. And if they cannot judge them then not determine any thing to them For this and that Authority goe together in things determinable by the Church Though the Church may judge in things wherein it may not determine in the sence we now take determination that is the Church may censure which is the judging there meant offenders against Gods Law as the incestuous Person spoken of But it may not determine that to be incest which God hath not made so nor determine any to be lawfull or dispence with it when God hath forbidden it however presumptuous the Church of Rome hath been in both It is lesse then to determine and make Lawes then to judge and censure offenders The Church therefore having no power of censure of those without those that are not her Members can have no power to determine any thing unto them They who are out of the Church are already in as bad a condition as the Churches censure can make them that can but deliver them to Satan and Satan undeniably hath them already The Churches Authority is apparantly but the Authority of a mother now a mother as a mother hath no Authority over children not her owne 2. As also because it is and would be extremly
say of that particular Day but not of the Continuance and Frequencie of one Day in seven for the chiefe Time Of which we have already intimated faire Reasons some and shall handle it fully in its proper place And withall they find a designation in Gods word in the New Testament of a new Day to Christians which Day also by the former Arguments of the Determinations belonging to God and not to men the Pagans those that are yet out of the Church are bound to yield to as soon as they know it out of Gods word And therefore 3. Also that Church that hath the Word particularly written for them are bound to the determinations therein exprest both for the chiefe Time necessary and sufficient for Continuance and Frequencie which is one whole Day in seven according to the fourth Commandement and for the particular Day which is the first Day of the week the Lords Day according to the New Testament We proceed to another Argument And come more pressely to oppose the Churches authority in this Determination XXIV A caution premised And if herein we shall seem by some Arguments to shake the authority the Church is esteemed to have in other things or to favour the authority which is challenged by some to belong to particular Churches or Congregations We desire not to be mistaken For as we shall argue nothing upon this occasion but what we esteeme to be both true and necessary to secure fully this mainest concernment of Religion about the Determination of this chiefe Time for Gods honour and the good of all mens soules So to prevent all causelesse suspitions we professe before-hand fully and freely 1. That we neither take the authority of the Church to reside chiefly in particular Congregations though somewhat more we believe belongs to the Ministers of particular Congregations then they have in some places been suffered to exercise much lesse that all the people have the rule in their hands as the Separatists say and least of all to take in women also as the Anabaptists doe Though in the point in controversie we must needs assert the authority to determine this chiefe Time for Religion rather to belong to every particular Church or Congregation for themselves then to any superior Governments or Governours to determine it for them As we have already argued that it rather belongs to every man and woman single for themselves then to any number of men for all the rest Therefore againe we professe that in those matters wherein the Church hath authority the authority is in the Church-Governours not in the whole body and greater authority in superior Governments as in Synods Provinciall and Nationall together with the authority of the Christian Magistrate most of all in Generall Councels or such a Councell as is of many Christian Nations together called by the consent of Christian Princes and States 2. That we are perswaded the Governours of the Church have some authority even legislative in some matters as far as the Scripture-rules admit namely That all things be done to edification and decently and in order and with charity and which may make for peace that is in matters indifferent as they are commonly called in things wherein God hath not determined this way or that way precisely and so are matters of smaller concernment which may admit of variation in divers Churches at the same time and in the same Church at divers times and wherein the main concernments of Religion Gods honour and the soules good or even mens outward bodily necessities are not prejudiced as they may be on either hand undeniably by an unnecessary or unsufficient determination of the Time we are speaking of These things thus cautioned we proceed to our Arguments which will be numerous and we suppose waighty every one of them whereby we shall evince both the falsenesse of our Adversaries assertion of the Churches authority in this matter as also discover unto the observant Reader how negligently and carelesly they have hitherto handled this point about the determination of this necessary-sufficient-chiefe Time for Religion by the Churches authority as if they had had to do with men that would take their dictates for oracles and never require satisfaction in most important difficulties which attend their Positions and Conclusions Our next Argument is this XXV Arg. 2. The Church cannot make Time necessary to Religion If the Church have authority to determine unto its members the necessary and ordinarily sufficient chiefe Time for Religion then it hath authority to make that Time necessary to Religion by vertue of its determination which was not necessary before us determination But the Church hath not authority to make that Time necessary to Religion by vertue of its determination which was not necessary before us determination Ergo the Church hath not authority to determine to its members the necessary ordinarily sufficient and chiefe Time for Religion The Consequence cannot justly be rejected For the authority we are disputing about is a legislative authority and that concerning a Time necessary for Religion which authority God had unquestionably in His hands of old and whatsoever Time He determined was necessary unto Religion even by vertue of His determination Now we say we are disputing of this authority Whether this be put over to the Church or not because such a determination must be as we have shewed of a Time necessary unto Religion Therefore if the Church have the authority to determine this Time to make this determination It hath authority to make that necessary by vertue of its determination which before its determination was not necessary For if it were necessary before then the Church doth not make the determination or exercise a legislative authority but only doe a prudentiall act or ministeriall to declare and preach to its members what Time God in Nature or Scripture hath made necessary not determining we say any thing by vertue of any authority given to it in that case The Antecedent is no lesse certaine divers wayes 1. Because if the Church could make a Time necessary which was not before necessary by vertue of its determination then it could make any Time it should determine necessary by vertue of its determination for A quatenus ad omus valet consequentia the authority To the purpose of this Antecedent See hereafter a distinct Argument proving those Times only necessary to Religion which Gâ—d himselfe appoints Sect. 62. and so the vertue of it being the same in one as in another And then not only one whole Day in a Week which is so burdensome to our Adversaries even to thinke of should be necessary if the Church should determine it but even two whole Dayes in a Week or three whole Dayes two whole Dayes still together or three or any other proportion or number that they should thinke good to determine should be necessary to Religion which all men would confesse to be absurd Therefore it remaines that the
since the service of God is our perfect freedome if our Church say true in her prayers and are not to give God attendance constantly in Publique Worship and so constantly look after their soules And then what becomes of the Morality of the fourth Commandement for Publique VVorship and what of Publique Worship and a sufficient Time at least for it Morall Naturall It is beyond our wits how our adversaries can expedite themselves out of the intanglements of these contradictions whereas in our way all is plaine in three words God determining the Time to all all even sevants and inferiours are bound to observe it to His honour and the good of their soules so to be willing and carefull of it and they are free to observe it being willing notwithstanding any opposition of men Masters Parents or others And though they may and must regard Gods reservations and so stay at home to tend a sick person and do any thing which is truly necessary yet not upon slight pretences or trifling occasions and when they are at home they are to redeeme all Time possible to serve God and look after their soules by themselves And if for this they incurre their superiours displeasure they must trust God in that as well as if they would urge them to lye or do any other wickednesse XXXIII Proved by reason 2. Another proofe of our Antecedent against the Churches authority even for the Publique Worship in a word according to what hath been touchâ— in a former argument is that If the Church hath authority to commanded all its members to observe constantly that Time in Publique Worship which it determines to them It may command them 2 3 4 5. Dayes in a Weeke and 5. or 6. or 8. Houres of each of those Dayes both Masters and Servants Inferiours and Superiours and call them from their workes to publique Worship so often and so long But this must not be therefore the Church hath no such authority even for the Publique Worship and the Times for it A sixth argument is this XXXIIII Argument sixth The Church cannot make a perpetuall determination If the Church hath authority to make this determination of the chiefe solemne Time necessary and sufficient to its members for Religion Then it hath authority to make a perpetuall determination But the Church hath no authority to make a perpetuall determination Ergo The Church hath not authority to make this determination The Consequence may be thus confirmed that proportion of Time which is both necessary for Religion sufficient for Religion for the chiefe Time of Worship is in reference to men not to say in the nature of Perpetual For nothing can be taken from that which is necessary nor added by mans authority to that which is sufficient So that if the determination of the Church hath made the Time necessary and sufficient to Religion it hath made it withall perpetuall and unalterable The Antecedent that the Church cannot make a determination perpetuall Is partly proved by the confession of the adversaries in this case in hand For they dispute and argue divers of them for the Churches authority at this day to alter and change the Time the Lords Day not onely to some other Day of the week but to some other number greater or smaller Partly by the general confession of all Orthodoxe Divines even the Hereticall Papists also that all institutions determinations lawâ— of men even of the Church universall are in their own not â—e alterable and at least the Church universall may alter them in a generall Councell And so that it belongs to God only to make lawes perpetuall and unchangeable And therefore say we it belongs only to Him to make this determination of the necessary and sufficient chiefe solemne Time for all men and particularly for all the members of the Church which doing it is unquestionably in reference to men XXXIV Argument seventh perpetuall and unalterable A seventh Argument thuâ— proceeds If God have given the Christian Church this authority to determine the necessary sufficient chiefe solemne Time for Religion It is a burden to Christians that the Church have this authority to all its members Then it is by way of spirituall priviledge and liberty for Christians But it is not a spirituall priviledge or liberty to Christians to have this authority given to the Church Ergo God hath not given to the Church this authority The Consequence is not to be denyed 1. Because our adversaries do so much and so oft urge the notion of Christian liberty to prove Christians free from all Gods former determinations of Times even that of one day in seven for a Weekely Sabbath in the fourth Commandement and to prove that the Church is to determine the necessary and sufficient Time now 2. Indeed there can be no other reason imagined why God should set His Christian Church to make this determination or make voyde all His own former determinations but in favour to His people now for a spirituall priviledge and Christian liberty The Time of the Gospell being a Time of spirituall freedome above the Time of the Old Testament The Antecedent may be verifyed severall wayes 1. By the confession of the adversaries who say sometimes and offer at some reasons for it that the Christian Church may appoint and determine more and oftener dayes than the Jewes had determined to them by God himselfe And if it be absolutely left to the Church to determine they may determine as many as they will And so there wil be lesse liberty in that sence they plead for it lesse freedom for worldly occasions work and sports then the Jewes had or then we urge from the fourth Commandement for one whole Day in seven For two Dayes in a week or even twenty seven Holy dayes in a yeare besides the Lords dayes weekely which are in our Church if they must be observed at least by abstaining from all work as some urge in their bookes and to be sure the Ecclesiasticall Courts did urge in practise punishing all those that they could prove did work on any part even of a Holy day This we say was and would be lesse freedome then the Jewes had or then we would have if the Lords day were wholly observed and no other dayes strictly besides But they may determine as hath been said even twise thrise as many more dayes if they have such authority as we dispute of Where then is the liberty talked of 2. If the Church had not such an absolute authority to determine but as much as was of old one whole Day in seven And without an expresse prohibition or pregnant reasons to the contrary which our adversaries in their way have not yet alledged this cannot be denied by them And so keep the number and continuance still and onely change the Day as we say is done but by God not men We aske again where is the liberty talked of unlesse they will say
the old Day abrogated by Christ and then as we have implyed heretofore and shall again urge further hereafter the first Day of the Weeke came even by vertue of the determination of one in seven in the roome of it immediately Besides what may be argued for Christs justification of it when we come to handle that question against the Jewish Sabbatarians And this being of lesse importance then the determination of the Continuance and Frequency God in His unsearcheable wisdome thought fit only to afford some designations of its observation and His owning it as His in the New Testament and not any peremptory command like to that of the Decalogue Of which also more hereafter XLIV Arg. 11. Then it should belong to every congregation We proceed in our arguments The next is this If the authority of determining to Christians the necessary sufficient chiefe Time for Religion belong to the Church Then it belongs to every particular congregationall Church to determine it unto its members But it belongs not to every particular congregationall Church to determine it unto its members Ergo It belongs not to the Church at all The Consequence hath been partly made good already But we must repeate those things briefly and bring them under one view together and adde some other things to them for fuller confirmation 1. The practise and observation of a necessary and sufficient Time for Religion immediately concernes every particular Church even every particular conscience as we have said for Gods honour among them and the benefiting of all their soules 2 The Time must be determined and that as necessary and sufficient that it may be so observed by that particular Church and all its members 3. It hath been already shewed the great uncertainties that there are about the determination of this Time belonging to a Church Nationall or Vniversall and the Possibilies of their erring either in the point of necessity or of sufficiency through want of zeale excesse of zeale and want of prudence In all these cases what can be said but that the authority must be devolved to each particular congregationall Church for its members that so God may have His honour among them though he hath it not aright among others and their souls may be benefited and their consciences not over-burthened however it be in other Churches 4. In case any particular Church be in a Paganish Country converted and gathered by meanes of some captive Christian or the like who yet is able to shew no authenticke proofe of any determination of the universall Church in this point nor of any Nationall Church which this particular Church should be bound to by vertue of their authority over it It is of necessity that that particular Church determine the Time for it selfe and its members 5. To this Day as we toucht before the universall Church hath not nor scarce any Nationall Church of late made a cleare determination or declaration of the Continuance of the Day which is by practise every where weekely observed How much we say of the Lords day is to be kept holy and strictly for God and the soule Yet this is necessary to be determined Therefore the authority to determine it must needs be devolved to every particular Church through the defect of the universall Churches determination of it and so of Nationall and Provinciall or Diocesan or Classicall Churches As also as was argued formerly in particular Churches default in like sort to particular Persons for themselves and their owne soules and consciences single 6. Finally the Scripture upon our Adversaries suppositions is undeniably we thinke for this And so is the practise of the Christian Church 1. The first certaine intimation we have in Scripture of the new Day observed by Christians for Religion though this also some quarrell with and question is Act. 20.7 which was in a particular Church at Troas and our Adversaries will not allow us to inferre from St. Pauls presence and observation of it with them that he instituted it there and much lesse among all Churches It was then as they contend the particular institution of that particular Church of Troas and so the determination of the particular Day and Frequency whatever was or was not of the Continuance belonged to particular Churches 2. Our Adversaries refuse also the intimation of 1 Cor. 16.2 notwithstanding the mention of an Ordination at least about the Collection that either to Corinth or to the Churches of Galatia the Apostle did institute or determine the first Day of the weeke to Religion Yet it was observed then as they doe not deny in their good moods though they can find in their hearts to dispute against that place also Therefore the institution and determination was made by those particular Churches for the Day and the Frequency at least 3. The practise of the Christian Church will say the same too For 300 yeeres after Christ there was not neither could there be till there was a Christian Emperour any generall Councell So that the universall Church determined it not neither could it Nor doe we read any Nationall or Provinciall Councell that seemes to determine it till that of Laodicea which was neer 300 yeeres after Christs resurrection Whereas the Lords day was practised and observed by that name and the name of the first Day of the weeke in every age from the Apostles Times as we shall shew hereafter It must be then instituted and determined by some particular Churches and imitated by others and so came to be universally practised Unlesse the Apostle instituted and determined it for all which our Adversaries admit not and we have disproved in their sense or that God and Christ ordained it whether immediately or mediately by the Apostles it matters not greatly and so certainly it was XLV Which is disproved by many reasons For now to prove our Antecedent That it belongs not to every particular congregationall Church to make this determination 1. It is not credible that all particular Churches if the power were in themselves would determine the same Continuance nor the same Frequency nor so much as the same particular Day For to speake of the first doe not our disputers now argue one while for Thursday to be as fit a Day in memory of Christs Ascention as the Lords day in memory of His Resurrection Another while for Friday in memory of His death How would this then be if they or such as they had the authority in their owne hand much if not altogether being the Ministers and so at least the chiefe in authority in the particular Congregations should we not be likely in a great City as London but specially in a Nation or Kingdome to have all the Dayes of the Weeke determined by one or other particular Church namely one by one and another by another and so others by others Againe in such diversities of tempers differences of zeale or worldlinesse wanting a steady Rule as we shall see and
LORD Himselfe from CHRIST The Primitive Church seemes to beare witnesse to this calling the Prayer instituted by Christ by the same terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oratio Dominica neither can it signifie any thing but the Prayer of the Lords institution Though the Generations after weakned the Testimony by calling Churches so As being paralell in phrase with the LORDS Supper which beyond all peradventure had no other Institour but Christ The Spirit of God who directed the two Apostles Paul and John in these two titles which are neither of them used in Scripture but once a peece never vouchsafed the terme to any other thing in the New Testament but only to the Supper and the Day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He had his choyse of words and spake nothing but upon admirable reason And no other good reason can be imagined why he would match these two these only in this appellation If they both had not had the same Author and Institutour And if he had not intended to insinuate so much unto us and teach it us even by the phrase particularly giving first the terme to the Supper and when we could not mistake that matching the Day with it that we might not mistake that neither Then also once more All Times and Dayes are not equall in Religion under the Gospell The Lords day is above all other Dayes and Times in regard of its Author and Institutour No Day is equall to this in this highest dignity and prerogative whence its being His peculiar His possession wholly His sacred to Him infallibly flowes unlesse He had said the contrary having its authority and institution from the Lord himself and so being then unquestionably necessary to Religion and most properly Holy and beyond controll altogether unalterable by man None of which can be alledged with any the like pretence from Scripture for any other Day under the New Testament We are not ignorant that exceptions are made by our disputers against these things that we have represented concerning the Lords day But the speciall answer to them we reserve to its proper place where we shall by His assistance for whose Commandement Day and Honour we argue in all this take all that they say against it into consideration and give we hope a satisfactory discharge to all their objections In the meane Time upon so just an occasion in this place we thought it requisite to give our Readers a breefe of what we shall more at large then discourse of whereby we doubt not but even without the help of our solutions divers will be able by the innate light of these considerations here presented to discover the adverse exceptions to be but frivolous and no way enervating our assertions about it But we have one proofe more of the inequality of Times now XII Arg. 9. God retaines the determination of Times to himself Ergo. all not equall 9. If God himselfe retaine in His own hand even under the Gospell the determination of the Continuance and Frequency of the chiefe Time necessary and sufficient to Religion for all men for the chiefe Time and that it is not put over by Him to men the Church nor any other as hath been at large proved in the forgoing Chapter Then the fourth Commandement is unquestionably that determination expreslly for one whole Day in seven and the Lords day the first Day of the seven of the week is the particular Day and all that we have here now said of the Lords day is undeniably true unlesse our Antisabbatarians will turne Sabbatarians and pleade for the Saturday-Sabbath as still in force by the fourth Commandement from which Hold we yet doubt not but we shall beate them hereafter and all that argue for it But howsoever then still it followes most certainly that all Times and Dayes are not equall in Religion under the Gospell But that there is still as great an inequality of some Dayes though not of so many as ever there was under the Old Testament except the typicall use of the particular Dayes then appointed even upon the highest ground of Divine command which lifts up the Lords day for the whole Day in a constant weekely revolution above all other Times and Dayes now whatsoever as certainly and only necessary to Religion and sufficient for the chiefe Time unto all Christians and men all the world over and properly Holy and unalterable by man and honoured with the blessing mentioned in the fourth Commandement and needed by men as we have discoursed before XIII Objections answered And now from all this will follow a certaine and easie Answer to those places of the New Testament which seeme to favour the adverse opinion and to lay all Dayes and Times levell now As Gal. 4. Blaming the observation of Dayes and Moneths and Times or seasons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word and Yeeres And Rom. 14. making stronger Christians to pronounce every Day alike Sol. These places we say must of necessity be interpreted of the Iewish Dayes and Seasons the particular Dayes which they observed for the Weekely Sabbath and the New Moones These texts and Collections are oft earnestly urged by our disputers therefore we shal in another place more fully sift and scan them and the objections raised from them But here it was necessary to touch them in briefe and the seasons for their Yeerely festivalls the Passeover feast of Weekes Trumpets Tabernacles and their Sabbaticall Yeeres every seventh Yeere and Yeares of Iubilee every 50. Yeares of these Seasons and Dayes speakes the Apostle which the false Apostles would still obtrude upon Christians and weake ones still made conscience of Of all these Dayes and Seasons it is most true that they are all alike under the Gospell and none higher then others none of them to be observed with any religious respect to the Day any more or as Holy-Times as being made voyde by Christ and laid levell with all ordinary Dayes and Times But these cannot be extended to all Dayes and Times universally If but any one of the former positions in this Chapter be true and much lesse can they be urged against us if all our reasons here exprest be good as we beleeve them to be And specially the third and the last For which without more adoe now we appeale to the consciences of all readers Whether they will admit of our interpretation of these places or make voide even any necessity of any sufficient Time at all for Religion and so hazard the loosing of all Religion for want of a sufficient Time so much as one Houre in a Yeare or any day at all to be certainly determined for Religion Gods Worship and soules good Which whatsoever it be or by whomsoever it be determined All Dayes and Times are not equall but the determined sufficient Time must be above all other Times and the Day for it above all other Dayes And if they grant such a determination necessary then whether
32. It is said They are the Lords His part His tribute And so the payment of them was a speciall Homage to Him an immediate Honour a part of worship And that which is specially to be noted antecedent to any particular use which He meant to put them to and whereto He did afterward apply them sc the maintenance of His Priests Levites For this we read not of till Num. 18. which was divers yeers after Whereupon it is there and elsewhere said That the Lord is the portion of Levi that is Levi should enjoy the Lords portion of Tithes as also of Offerings But this use of them was secondary and we doe not say that in this considration the payment of them was properly Worship For it was not immediately to Gods honour but only mediate in as much as those Levites that were maintained by them were Gods Ministers That which made them Parts of Worship was antecedent as we said to this Namely Gods challenging them as His portion His own primarily and originally though now making the Levites His receivers Hence the witholding them is called robbing of God not defrauding or robbing the Levites Mal. 3. And if we understand aright This is that Sacrilege mentioned Rom. 2. where after the Apostle had twice said Thou breakest the same Commandements thou teachest others not to break Stealing and committing Adulterie he adds Thou that abhorrest Idols or Images dost thou commit Sacriledge Dost thou break the same Commandement viz. the second robbing God of part of His Worship by detaining His portion of Tithes However to be sure they were His portion formerly and so a part of His worship 3. And so was that share which God reserved to Himselfe out of the Midianites spoiles The Lords Heave-offering v. 29.41 Num. 31. which is called the Lords tribute the Lords portion And was His a part of homage to Him a part of His worship on that occasion antecedently to the speciall use He afterward allotted that also to be disposed of by Eleazar the Priest as we there read Now if these things by this meanes became parts of Worship So is it in reason with that Time which God challenges as His tribute or peculiar portion out of all our Time It must be a part of Worship in that it is His allotted to His Honour antecedent to any particular uses which it is put to to any particular Duties of Worship which yet become the imployment of it Namely one or other of them or more than one even all the varieties of Duties doe actually imploy this Time unto Gods Honour But antecedent we say to any particular Duties the Time being Gods His portion is to His Honour immediately and a part of Worship and consequently calling for some particular Duties of Worship to help imploy it to Gods honour In a word Though it cannot be actually imployed to Gods Honour without some particular Duties yet hath it a distinct consideration abstracted from the Duties As requiring and calling for and even commanding as we said formerly of Solemne Time in generall Duties to attend it some or other And so is distinctly by and of it selfe to the Honour of God immediately as well as the Duties themselves though not actually separated from all For that is a contradiction in Religion to say That a Time can be to Gods honour and not be imployed in some Religious Duties or other But we have said enough as we conceive to illustrate and evince the Proposition of our Argument That the Time which is Gods portion is a part of VVorship The Assumption That the necessary sufficient chiefe Time for Religion is the Time which together with the particular Day for it God requires out of all our Time out of all mens Time as His peculiar portion that is above all other Time hath been proved abundantly in the foregoing Chapters 9. 10. And this we also conceived to be meant in those words of the fourth Commandement The seventh Day or a seventh Day one Day of seven is the Sabbath or a Sabbath of the Lord thy God or to the Lord thy God namely That he being the Lord of all thy Time as of all things else that are thine hath reserved to Himself and challenges for Himself while He allowes thee six Dayes mainly for thy woâ—ldly businesse this proportion of Time of one whole day of seven The Lords Day if from Divine Authority must needs be a part of worship and more holy then other Dayes G.I. pag. 16.9 as his peculiar portion to be sanctified imployed to His immediate honour And like to this as we conceive is the meaning in the New Testament of the terme of the Lords Day it is the particular Day which he hath taken and challenges to Himself as His peculiar portion out of all the Dayes of the Weeke to be sanctified wholly to His honour whence the conclusion followes inevitably That this Time in all the respects of it is a part of Gods worship a part of the speciall homage and tribute due to Him from all men and specially accepted by Him We proceede to another Argument IX Arg. 2. It is the observation of a morall Commandement of the first tab e. Ergo. properly respecting the necessary sufficient chiefe Time for Continuance and Frequency jointly Thus The obedience to and observation of a morall Commandement of the first table is a part of Gods immediate worship But the observation of the necessary sufficient chiefe Time for Religion is the obedience to and observation of a morall Commandement of the first table Ergo The observation of this Time is a part of Gods immediate worship Both the Propositions are confessed and granted by our Disputers Prim. p. 2. Therefore they must own the child issuing from such Parents The Major is thus expressed Whatsoever is morall is universally an essentiall part of Gods service The Minor thus The morall substance of the fourth Commandement is to have a Time regulate frequent c. And generally they all speake of a sufficient Time as morall naturall It is then a part of worship a proper and essentiall part of it by their own sentence But we will a little further prove and illustrate it also by our own grounds and not depend upon them 1. For the Major we say That the Commandements of the first Table do all of them plainly concerne the immediate worship and honour of God and all the objects of those Commandements namely the things and actions outward or inward commanded in them are matters of Divine worship Therefore the obedience to those Commandements the observation of them must needs be a part of worship of our Homage to God and redound to His immediate honour For 2. Whatsoever is to be presented to God by vertue of a morall Commandement of the first table is to be Presented to Him by all men as a speciall homage they all owe to Him as when a Landlord keeping court requires all his
another time describe it by being written in the hearts of the Gentiles of old And so they goe to seek in Humane Authors for the generall Practice and acknowledgement of the Gentiles which where they finde wanting they deny such Lawes to be Lawes of Nature And under this pretence they strongly reject as they think the 4. Commandement for one Day in seven from being Morall by which they will understand only Morall-Naturall because it was not written in the hearts of the Gentiles not acknowledged nor practised by them of old XVII 2 Reasons of it But this description of Morall-Naturall we cannot admit for a double Reason 1. Because some Lawes had the Testimony of all the Heathens Practice and Acknowledgement generally and so seemes written in all their hearts which yet are so far from being Morall-Naturall that they were meerly Ceremoniall and are now abolished as the Law of sacrificing some materiall things to God a Sheep or an Oxe or Flowre or Wine or the like 2. And specially because the most undeniable Law of Nature or one of them that is or can be namely the worshipping of one only God shall not be Morall-Naturall if we stand to the proofe of the Generality of the Heathens Practice and Acknowledgement For all that know any thing know that they generally and even the very Jewes too very often before the Babylonish Captivity worshipped a Plurality of Gods If therefore the Gentiles not observing nor owning a seventh-day Sabbath be a sufficient proofe to evince the 4. Commandement not Morall though we contend not for its being Morall-Naturall as it commands so much and no more of solemne Time for Continuance and Frequencie together It will not only thrust out also the second Commandement from being Morall because it is apparent that all the World of old made and worshipped Images and so it is cleare that Law was not generally written in all their hearts But even the first Commandement will not be admitted to be Morall because all the World generally worshipped a plurality of Gods And so neither was the Law of having no other Gods but the Lord written generally in the hearts of the Gentiles We know some of the wiser Philosophers did indeed professe but one God as Socrates but even for that as they write he was condemned to death by his ungodly Countrymen Also it is certaine that it may be proved even from those Principles of the light of Nature remaining in the hearts of all Reasonable men now That there is but One GOD and so That we are to worship Him alone and so but One. Whence it followes that as there is now no other Judge of Lawes of Nature but our present Nature however corrupted so we say the Judgement must be made not simply according to first Apprehensions but awakened Principles Therefore also for a further clearing of these Lawes of Nature XVIII Degrees of Morall Naturall Laws 1. Principles Aquin. 2. â— 94 art 2. c. 1 we adde That they are not all of equall evidence or clearenesse but admit of Degrees And so they may be further distinguished 1. There are some Principles of Nature of which the Great Schooleman thus writes Although in themselves the Precepts of the Law of Nature are many yet may they all be reduced to this one Good is to be prosecuted Evill is to be avoyded 2. 2. Conclusions Some are Conclusions necessarily resulting from that Principle by way of Demonstration Which Conclusions as they arise at the first or second hand or the like may further be distinguished into immediate or mediate The immediate Conclusions are only two Immediate Mat. 2â— The first Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart c. And the second Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy selfe On these two Commandements saith our Saviour hang all the Law and the Prophets The mediate Conclusions are such 2. Mediate as doe also arise from the former Principle but by the interposition of the two former Conclusions And of this kinde are confessedly some even most of the Commandements of the Decalogue if not all But of this more anon The summe then of this Discourse of Naturally-Morall Lawes XIX Character of Laws Moral-Naturall is That their proper Character is To be in themselves not only just and convenient but even necessary in the Nature of the Laws themselves for all reasonable creatures such as Mankind are universally and perpetually to stand obliged unto toward GOD themselves and one another and which very Nature though corrupted may be forced to confesse such But now besides these Morall-Naturall Lawes XX. Description of a Morall-Positive Law there are we say others which we call Morall-Positive And these we describe to be Laws clearely laid down in Scripture in expresse words or certaine consequence which Nature though corrupted cannot reasonably deny to be just good and so convenient to be perpetuated according to the Lawgivers pleasure Though antecedent to His Will some way revealed to them it would not nor could not have judged them to be of themselves altogether necessary Nature even corrupted cannot deny but that it is fit that the Law-givers Will and Pleasure should stand for a Law with his Creatures and so though it could have discerned no necessity of such or such an Obligation by the light of Nature meerly as perhaps even created Nature could not in some of them yet such equity and equality and goodnesse being in them as they cannot but acknowledge them convenient and fit to be perpetuated unlesse God have exprest himselfe to the contrary These we call Morall-Positive Laws and esteem them universall to all their Posteritie to whom they were given and Perpetuall to them from the time they were given unto the Worlds end and so to all the Church in after ages unlesse where God was pleased to make any particular exceptions or exemptions And though we confesse God might have changed or abrogated any of these Lawes so qualified yet we doe not beleeve that He hath unlesse it be undeniably exprest of this or that particular Law in question Of which perswasion we shall give our grounds in due season And now upon this Distinction if we be not deceived the greatest part of the present Controversie in this Discourse depends It concernes us therefore to vindicate this fully and make good this ground before we proceed any further And that there are some Positive Lawes in Scripture thus Morall that is of universall extent after they were once given and perpetuall obligation we thus endeavour to make manifest XXI Proofes that there are such Laws 1. Gods Prerogative may make such First GODS Prerogative and absolute Dominion over all men as his Creatures as we touched before may authorise his Will to make such Lawes and to impose them upon the World and that even for a proof of his Prerogative Royall absolute dominion and consequently a Tryall of his Creatures Obedience And this
Text reads it And vindicated That Law which said and that the Article ὠwill agree to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is exprest in the verse before as well as to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is not named we answer This variation will neither prejudice our cause nor our Argument at all if it be rightly considered For of what Law speakes the Apostle It must needs be granted of the written Law Where say we either in the Book of Moses at large or particularly in the Decalogue and so in the two Tables of stone Not the former for then the forementioned Ceremonious Iew might again have come upon him with this That Law which sayth Thou shalt not kill sayth also Thou shalt not eat swines flesh so by eating swines flesh a man is a transgressor and breaker of the whole Law For this is as well found in the Law of Moses written by him as the other Therefore of necessity it must be meant of the Decalogue the Law of the Tenne Commandements considered as one Law together and so though the severall Commandements be so many distinct branches with reference to each other Yet are they joyned in one bulk and body together as one perpetuall Law as spoken altogether and written altogether and that in such a manner as no other Lawes were Neither will it be possible to satisfie the Apostles drift and make his argument good unlesse we thus interpret it And therefore we must needs take Liberty to account both Papists transgressours for breaking the 2d. Commandement Because he that said or that Law that said Thou shalt have no other Gods but me said also Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image And so our adversaries transgressours for breaking the fourth Commandement Because he that said or that Law that said Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain said also Remember the Sabbath Day to Sanctifie it c. Prim. p. 180. 181. Nor is this place eluded by the answers which one of our adversaries attempts or rather makes a shew to give it For he meddles not at all with the Force of the Apostles argumentation But insists principally upon the words of offending in one point having first denied the inobservation of the Sabbath to be under the New Testament a sinne because the Law so farre as it commands the Sabbath obligeth not any more Mean time he touches not at all in his answer the strength of the reason whereby the Apostle proves his sentence But contrary in the allegation of our argument he enervates both it and the Text it selfe particularly viz. The scope of it namely by altering the Apostles words and instead of instancing in two Commandements of the Decalogue as the Apostle doth vers 11. wherein we place the strength of our argumentation as we have said before he only generally saith and that in another Character then the Text is in as if it were our inference not the Apostles The same God which injoynes the one of these Points hath injoyned all the rest By which generall expression because a heedlesse reader may happen to be deceived we make bold to aske him what points be those the Apostle means Did not he himself say for us that he speaks of the Law of the Decalogue and if he would deny it the instances vers 11. will constraine him again to grant it whereupon we urge him thus further If Saint James speake of the Decalogue then of the words of the Decalogue as God said them or as the Law said them as they were spoken by God and written by him And if so then either he must deny the fourth Commandement to have been with the rest spoken by God and written by him or deny Saint Iames his argument that because one Commandement of the Decalogue binds now therefore another doth or deny his own denyall that the fourth Commandement in the very words of it is now in force let him take his choice And if now himself or any for him think to urge us by the same argument to the old Jewish seventh Day as commanded by the fourth Commandement which they do oft and continually we must as oft and continually deny that it was commanded in the Decalogue directly and as the substance of the fourth Commandement and of this we shall give good account in due time and place Mean time we let passe the residue of what he saith to this place of Saint Iames because it goes altogether upon that supposition And counting our selves to have made good our two first Testimonies of the Prophet and Apostle we come to a Third of an ancient Father Namely Irenaeus who thus speakes for us God 3. Irenaeus ◠4. c. 31. the better to prepare us to Eternall Life did by himselfe proclaime the Decalogue to all the people equally which therefore is to be of full force amongst us as having rather been enlarged then dissolved by our Saviours comming in the flesh Upon which words the Historians evasion is frigide and flash when thus he glosses Hist of Sab. Part 1. p. 66. Which words of Irenaeus if rightly considered must be referred to that part of the fourth Commandement which is indeed Morall or else the fourth Commandement must not be reckoned as a part or member of the Decalogue because it did receive no such enlargment as did the rest of the Commandements by our Saviours Preaching but a Dissolution rather by his practise But this Glosse corrupts the Text making an exception where the Father made none and besides it proceeds upon a misprision of the sence and scope of that Commandement supposing the seventh day Sabbath to be directly commanded in it and one in seven to be but Ceremoniall whereas the contrary we hope shall be manifested in both which if it be done this Commandement hath as well received enlargement as the rest By the substitution of the Lords-day in stead of the old Sabbath and the Religious observation of it But of this in time and place convenient 4. The adverse party themselves C. D. p. 8. Lastly One even of our Adversaries thus pleads our cause The Precepts of the Morall Law are summarily comprehended in the Decalogue which have this Prerogative peculiar to them that they were delivered not by Moses but by God himselfe and by him written in Tables of stone and preserved in the Ark to shew their degnity above others and to note out the Perpetuitie note that of observance which was due unto them This is an ingenuous confession if he would be constant to it But whether it be his misprision or his misdevotion to the fourth Commandement he afterward comes in with his Exceptions That this is to be understood of the Decalogue as far as it is Morall Though in so saying he doth either expresly contradict himselfe or speak non-sense in one of these Assertions But because this Exception lies chiefly against the fourth Commandement we will remit
the Passeover and all the Ceremoniall Sabbaths are not to this day dissolved nor did the Apostles teach men to break them The contrary whereunto is evident to all the world Now do not you your selfe and others of your side hold the fourth Commandement to be one of the least Commandements and even wholly Ceremoniall in the substance and letter of it and teach men expresly That it is no inconvenience to say Prim. p. 138. that of ten Commandements in the Decalogue there are but nine Morall that oblige us now Can you then in reason deny that you breake one of the least Commandements and teach men so If not then we desire you in the feare of God to consider well how you will escape our Saviours condemnation by your owne confession XV. Inst 1. pag. 179. Thus you goe about it Of necessitie the broachers of this argument must avow that Christ doth not in this place blame all inobservation of the Sabbath nor establish the observation thereof absolutely and for ever Therefore this limitation must bee added that Christs intention is to forbid the transgression and to command for ever the observation of the Commandement touching the Sabbath as far as it may and ought to oblige us according to the termes of the Gospel that is say you so farre only as it commandeth that Gods publike worship be practised for ever as it shal be established by him and that an ordinary day be appointed for that purpose Sol. To this we say 1. Wee doe not avow that Christ in this place doth blame all or any inobservation of the Seventh Day Sabbath much lesse establish it for ever For we hold even from this place and shall maintaine in time convenient that the Seventh Day Sabbath was not the substance of the fourth Commandement but the observation of one day in seven and this we say Christ doth in this place establish for ever 2. Wee adde to your limitation that the publike service is not commanded by the fourth Commandement that is another of your mistakes as shall in time be manifested but by other Commandements though the time of the fourth Commandement in part and chiefly if it may be is to be imployed in publique worship And therefore when you yield that Christ speaks of the Decalogue only it is in your interpretation to confesse that Christ hath made void and destroyed one whole Commandement of the Decalogue which yet Himselfe denies and threatens them that shall dare to doe it You cannot avoid this by saying He fulfilled in himself the truth of the thing figured by the outward Sabbath For if He destroyed the old Sabbath which you say was the substance of that Commandement and Ceremoniall still it will follow that He destroyed the Commandement although He did fulfill the Figure Think on it But it is further said XVI Inst 2. That our Lord Christ passeth most conveniently from the Ceremonies which the Scribes and Pharisees accused him falsly to destroy to the Moralities which they destroyed in effect Therefore I say unto you Except your righteousnesse exceed c. v. 20. But 1. This sense is very preposterous for the whole preceding Sol. 1 discourse was of Morall matters and therefore He must rather passe from Morals to Ceremonials then contra 2. True it is in the 20. verse He speaks of the Scribes and Pharisees Sol. 2 but not as accusing Him of the breach of Ceremonials but rather as accusing them of the breach of Morals with reference to the 19. verse Whosoever shall break one of the 〈◊〉 of these Commandements and teach men so q.d. The Scribes and Pharisees are instances of what I mean For they by their corrupt Glosses of the Decalogue doe both destroy and break the Commandements and teach men so however they were exact in Ceremonials and their own Traditions Except therefore your righteousnesse exceed theirs you cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven 3. It cannot be shewed that the Pharisees did accuse our Saviour Sol. 3 as yet for breaking any Ceremoniall Lawes except it was for breaking some Ceremonials belonging to the fourth Commandement in doing some miracles on the Sabbath day Chemnitius in his most learned and judicious Harmony upon the Gospels sheweth that the Contests John 5. and Mat. 12.1 c. and v. 9.10 c. were all before this Sermon upon the Mount which being granted then is the Argument more strong for the confirmation of the fourth Commandement Think not that I am come to destroy the Law I am come to fulfill it and confirme it Therefore whosoever shall break one of the least of these Commandements be it the Fourth or any other and teach men so shall be called the least in the Kingdome of Heaven XVII Excep 4. C. D. p. 12. There are yet some other Exceptions as this for one If we grant them that by the Law is meant only the Decalogue and that our Saviours fulfilling and not destroying the Law was the ratifying and perpetuating of it we shall condemne the Christian Church for altering the day from the seventh to the first day of the week which cannot stand with our Saviours speech who saith that not one jot or title shall passe from the Law Solut. To this we answer 1. They that make the substance of the Commandement to be the seventh day cannot justifie by any meanes the altering of it to the first but must needs make void the Commandement contrary to our Saviours asseveration That till heaven and earth passe one jot or title of the Law shall not passe For it is a certain Rule in Lawes When the substance of a Law is abolished the whole Law is quite abolished Let him consider it 2. But if we hold that the fourth Commandement commands only one day in seven to be our Sabbath not one jot or title of the Law is passed And the Church is justified in her altering of the day having sufficient Authority going before her in designing of the day Of which more hereafter XVIII Excep 5. B. of E. p. 64. But it is further excepted Our Sabbatizers must first of all make remonstrance that the fourth Commandement of the Decalogue is simply and formally Morall before they presume to affirme that the same is a part jot or title of the Eternall Law which Christ commanded to be observed to the worlds end Solut. This is easily answered 1. It is not necessary to prove it simply and formally that is Naturally Morall It is enough if we can prove it positively Morall for himselfe hath confessed that there are some Lawes positively Morall which are universall and bind all mankind p. 27. as that against Polygamie and wedlock in some degree And therefore he plainly contradicts himselfe when p. 63. he saith That Christ hath freed and delivered the Christian Church from the Eternall observation of all such Legall precepts as were not simply and formally Morall But those Positive Laws aforementioned he saith
windowes open toward Jerusalem Also his setting himselfe to seek the Lord by fasting though alone c. 9. Can it be reckoned lesse then Solemn VVorship We adde if many Christians all a Country or Kingdom over should agree to fast and pray upon one particular day every one in their Chamber apart alone this were without doubt a very Solemne service and worship yet Solitary and private We conclude then that as there is such a Duty required of every one apart at least sometimes which we call Solemne Worship so such a Duty being performed with the whole man is worthy to be called and counted Solemne And if Solitary Worship may deserve to be called Solemne then surely Family-Worship also is justly to be counted Solemne Such was the eating of the Passeover which was ever in private houses and Esthers Fast with her maids Est 4. three dayes one after another and the Humiliation mentioned Zach. 12. every family apart and their wives apart which seemes to be a Solitary VVorship yet Solemne undoubtedly So that all Solemn VVorship is not Publike But if any one would yet list to wrangle about the word Solemne let him but give us another fit word to describe such Solitary or Private VVorship of the whole man tendred unto God so seriously and it shall serve our turne sufficiently for the end we intend it for as we shall see hereafter Mean time we say that conjoyned VVorship XIV Family Worship proved a duty where it is possible to to be performed is also a necessary duty even so far forth Morall-Naturall and that in both the kindes of it Domesticall and Congregationall For in the second place The Honour of GOD and Good of Soules doe also require Family-VVorship from all such joyntly as live in Families where they have any to joyn with This appeares 1. Because it being God that hath placed men in a Community setting the solitary in families as the Psalmists phrase is Psal 68. it cannot be justly conceived that He should doe this meerly for their worldly conveniencies but rather chiefly that they should improve their society one with another to His Glory who is the Lord of them all together as well as of every one of them single and so that they should worship Him joyntly together as well as each of them solitarily and apart To which tends undeniably the forenoted charge given Deut. 6.6 7. These words that I command thee this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt teach them diligently to thy children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in the house Deut. 11.18 and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest down and when thou risest up For though it comprehend plainly Ejaculatory Worship in part as we have noted before yet it reaches further specially being added immediately unto the great Commandement ver 4. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy might And indeed how can any man love God with all his heart and soule and not be willing to joyne others to himselfe and himselfe to others as much as may be in the worship of God And how doth the Master of a Family love God with all his strength that imployes not his authority over all his Family to call them to worship God even in the Family with himselfe at least some times I say at least some times for we yet are but upon the Duty the consideration of the Time is to come afterward Therefore also we finde it a part of the unhappy character of Pagans Jer. 10.25 Whereas some to elude the strength of this Text for Family-Prayers alleadge that Psal 79.6 the words are the Kingdomes that call not upon thy name and so by Family here is meant no more then there by Kingdoms I answer The parallelling the two plates proves the thing more clearly for as the Kingdome is not said to call upon Gods name unlesse the King command publike meetings to that end and that is counted a Heathenish and ungodly Kingdome so is it with a Family where by the authority of the Governour there are no joynt meetings to pray to God devoted to the wrath of God The Heathen that know Thee not and the Families that call not on Thy Name And indeed how hath the Family that knowledge of God to be 1. Their great Lord and Master 2. The Author of their Peace among themselves that the Governour is gentle to the inferiours and the inferiours dutifull to the Governour and Superiour 3. The Author of all Blessings to them all Of health and strength to follow their businesse of successe and comfort in them How I say have they the knowledge of God if they agree not together to joyne in Worship of Him their Lord and in tendring Prayers and Praises for such things as they expect and receive from Him 2. The Good of soules calls for this also Every one needing helpe from others and all being helped by the Solemne services joyntly presented to God in the Family 1. In minding one another by mutuall testification of the common Allegeance and Homage they all owe to Him their great Soveraigne and so preventing the forgetting of Him 2. Withall affecting one another by example of reverence and devotion 3. They being also infallibly taught and minded of and provoked to some particulars of Duty and furnisht with some matter of comfort by every such service performed joyntly supposing that every ones heart joynes faithfully in it which before they were either ignorant or forgetfull of or backward to or should have missed if they had beene wholly and ever alone As reason cannot but insinuate and experience continually shewes It remains then that Domesticall and Family-Worship is a Necessary Duty and as farre as it is Possible even Morall-Naturall XV. Publike Worship proved a Duty 3. So is also Ecclesiasticall or Congregationall VVorship which is usually called Publike VVorship Even for the Reasons forenamed Gods Honour and Soules Good He is Lord of all societies and the Author of them as well as of Families And so is to have a tribute of VVorship and Glory from all joyntly The Lord having universall Dominion over all flesh should publikely be worshipped by societies of men G. Irons p. 261. as well as from any severally And Love to God cannot but promote this as much as is possible And the mutuall blessings expected and received by greater Communities as well as Families doe require the like according to just conveniences Which is so assuredly of the Law of Nature that all Nations that have ever been heard of have had their joynt Publike Solemne Worship And have had Persons set apart purposely for it Priests or Ministers for the more compleat performance of it Finally both Reason and Experience declare that the good of Soules both calls for publike Congregationall VVorship as also commends it as exceeding profitable and advantagious Not only in that
further in any certain Determination of any more distinctly then we formerly asserted in the explication of this first Position XII 2. It is Morall by the first Commandement But we think good first to interpose our second Position noted in the Title of the Chapter That the Determinate Solemn Time forenoted and argued to be Morall-Naturall is within the compasse of the first Commandement To prove which we propound this ensuing Argument XIII Argum. That which requires that we give not God too little Time at once or too seldome Time in a revolution comprehends under it such a Determinate Solemn Time as hath been mentioned both for Continuance and Frequencie But the first Commandement requires that we give not God too little Time at once or too seldome Time in a revolution Ergo. The Major is cleare from the former grounds in that the Sin and the Duty must needs come both under the same Commandement The Minor may be two wayes confirmed 1. 1 Confirmation That Commandement which requires an acknowledgement that the Lord is our God and the soveraigne Lord of us and all our Time requires that we give Him not too little Time at once or too seldome Time in a revolution But the first Commandement requires that acknowledgement that the Lord is our God and soveraigne Lord of us and all our Time Ergo. The Major is certain because the sin of giving God too little Time at once and too seldome Time in a revolution is contrary to the forementioned acknowledgement The Time being therefore too little and too seldome for Him and His worship because He is the supreme Lord of us and all our Time and as we said before the Sin and the Duty must needs be both under one Commandement The Minor cannot be denied in that the affirmative part of the first Commandement being expresly to have the Lord for our God This necessarily includes the acknowledgement of Him to be our absolute Soveraigne and Lord of all our Time and whatsoever else we can call ours or else some other must be acknowledged Lord of it either our selves or some other creatures and to affirme that were to make such creatures our God Therefore the owning the Lord to be our God requires and comprehends such an acknowledgement and such duty and forbids such sin 2. The second confirmation of the Minor of the first Syllogisme XIV 2 Confirmation may be thus conceived That Commandement which requires the acknowledgement that God is our Happinesse requires that we give Him not too little Time at once or too seldome in a revolution for attendance upon Him and converse with Him But the first Commandement requireth that acknowledgement that God is our Happinesse Ergo. The Major is manifest from the former grounds again because the sin of giving God too little Time or too seldome Time is contrary to that acknowledgement of Him being our Happinesse For what ever a man counts his Happinesse he doth and can doe no otherwise then devote much and often Time to it to attend and enjoy it being carried to his Happinesse with all his strength And Love which is the immediate off-spring of such accounting any thing our Happinesse both commands a mans Time and all else of him in thankfulnesse and kindnesse and wisedome for the service of and converse with that object loved Neither can love afford to offend in giving too little or too seldome Time But it is a sin against love and a manifestation of the want of love so far forth to scanty or abridge Time either for Continuance or Frequencie The Minor is no lesse easily proved Because that is plainly our God which to serve and enjoy is our happinesse As for that reason mainly Money is called the covetous mans god Honour the ambitious mans god Pleasure the voluptuous Epicures and he whose happinesse it is to pamper his belly is he that makes his belly his god In like sort we have not the Lord to be our God which the first Commandement requires unlesse He be our happinesse or which comes to all one unlesse to serve and enjoy Him be our happines As then Prophanenesse Covetousnesse and Worldly-mindednesse are sins against the first Commandement undeniably and they so take up the Time for our own carnall selfe and the creatures as that they are the causes and the only causes why any gives God too little or too seldome Time so they prove that the sin of giving God too little or too seldome Time comes under the compasse of the said first Commandement and consequently that that first Commandement requires such a determinate solemne Time as we have spoken of XV. A Consequence thereof for Continuance and Frequencie both And this which we have now asserted considered by it selfe we conceive that every one even our very Adversaries will and must grant us But when we shall come to make our Inference from it Namely that not only a Remissely determinate Time for Religion but even an Initiall determination both of some solemne Continuance of Time and some solemne Frequencie of Revolution being commanded in the first Commandement both singly and jointly it will thence follow that nothing is left for the fourth Commandement but only the precise and conclusive determination of a whole Dayes continuance in the revolution of seven Dayes as the chiefe Time for Religion and so if the Commandement be not in force now for one Day in seven it is altogether void and there are not now ten Commandements but only nine When we say we shall thus urge them from hence as we suppose we may most justly and strongly they will interpose some Exceptions against this Position of ours concerning the first Commandement including such Determinations of Time as we have named of which kinde we have already met with some from some Discourses We shall therefore in the next Part where this application is properly to be made propound such Exceptions as we can conceive may be made against it and accordingly as we hope sufficiently satisfie them And then so many as dare not directly take away the fourth Commandement wholly will be forced to yield it in force as we contend for one Day in seven even from this very Argument besides all others Mr. Broad indeed hath ventured to be so audacious as to reject this Commandement wholly and one or two more of our Disputers doe now and then speak very broadly towards it as shall be noted in due place But we suppose the most even of those that as yet consent not with us for the perpetuity of one Day in seven are not yet grown to that confidence but that they will rather yield to our assertion of that then altogether to throw away the Commandement For their sakes it is and for other conscientious Christians who count themselves bound to cleave to the whole Decalogue for the Reasons before alleadged in the 2. 3. 4. and 5. Chapters that we take paines to maintaine that
and in the Nature of the businesse to a whole Day and no lesse Continuance neither did ever any Orthodoxe Church speake otherwise of it though we know the Popish mock-fasts or foole fasts end often at noone so that all that the Church doth or the Christian Magistrate is to appoint and determine the particular Day or the Frequency of Dayes upon some speciall occasions and to declare that the Continuance is to be extended so long with penalties Civil or Ecclesiasticall on them that shall be knowne to transgresse it even within doores otherwise they doe not command properly any particular family or solitary Worship at all Or if they did were it not for those intimations of Scripture and the Nature of the businesse of solemne humiliation and the prevention of all tolerable ordinary excuses by the publike appointment no mans conscience were bound to observe the whole Day at home and in solitary Worship before and after the publike because of the Churches or Magistrates authority and determination for the reasons before set downe Another Argument followes which is a fifth against the Churches authority to determine the chiefe solemne Time Even against that authority which our Adversaries thinke most infallibly certaine to belong to the Church namely for the publike Worship Against which thus we argue XXX Arg. 5. The Church cannot command aâ—l her members to observe the time in publike worship If the Church have authority to determine the chief Time of Worship for all its members in reference to the publike Worship Then it hath authority to command all its members constantly to observe that Time in the publike Worship which it determines for it But the Church hath not authority to command all its members constantly to observe that Time in the publike Worship which it determines for it Ergo The Church hath not authority to determine the chiefe Time of Worship to all its members in reference to the publike Worship The consequence is certaine from the state of the question formerly laid downe 1. That the determination discoursed of makes the Time necessary to Religion and so commands all unto whom it is made to observe it constantly 2. Also our Adversaries doe every where make it Morall Naturall to observe publike worship and contend that it is the whole morality of the fourth Commandement to command publike worship and consequently a necessary and sufficient Time to be by the Church determined for it So that the determination of the Time for such publike worship is an expresse command of a constant observation of such publike worship even by vertue of the Law Morall Naturall and the whole remaining force of the fourth Commandement 3. Likewise it were a meer vanity and ridiculous folly to dispute for authority of determining Times and so a folly to determine them if men be not thereby bound as by a command to observe those Times once determined constantly except in the particular case of reservation of which we have often given touches before XXXI This is confessed by the adverse party G. Irons Now for the Antecedent It will be made good 1. By our Adversaries owne conceits contradicting themselves as we touched a while agoe in a like Argument Namely Though they make the publike worship Morall Naturall Yet doe they so farre forget themselves as to exempt shepheards diggers in mines servants sundry sorts of them at least as cookes and others and divers other people from any necessity of constantly observing the publike worship Insomuch as the translatour of Doctor Prideaux Lecture imputes it as strange superstition that a Towne of his acquaintance had not a piece of roast or baked meat to a Sundaies-dinner throughout the whole yeere which must needs be because all the servants went constantly to the publike worship An imputation to say no lesse of it worthy the pen of one of those S. Paul speaks of Phil. 3.19 whose God is their belly otherwise how durst he that would carry the face of a Christian reproach the Ministers of Christ as he there doth for teaching the people both Masters and servants to preferre the publike worship of God before the sacrificing to their owne bellies and so to take more care even of every poore servants soule by carrying them along to the publike worship of God then to provide for the pampering of their owne guts though with the pinching or starving of their servants soules But to let him passe we urge all of them and specially those that dispute that the fourth Commandement was not given to servants whether they will averre That a servant is bound by the Churches determination to keepe constantly to the publike worship from the first to the last of it every time that there is any Notwithstanding any Commandement to the contrary If their perhaps prophane Masters though they beare the names of Christians and that upon no allowable necessity will charge them to stay at home altogether or part of the Time before they goe to Church or come home before it is ended and specially if such ungodly Masters or parents shall threaten or beate their inferiours if they doe otherwise then they charge them We say againe what will they say a servant or inferiour is bound to in these cases which are every day one where or other Nay what is an inferiour free to in these cases Who hath a soule to save and so to looke after and a desire to use the meanes for it specially Gods publike worship having little or no helpe at all but hindrance rather in the family and exceeding little time for any solitary devotions They cannot here answer either way but they overthrow their owne Principles For either 1. They must say Servants and inferiours may and must keepe strictly to the Churches determinations for publike worship notwithstanding any contrary command or threatning or cruelty of their ungodly superiours Which they will not allow us to urge men to upon the Commandement and determination of God Himselfe and for this they deny this Commandement of the Sabbath to have layen upon Israel in Egypt and that the Lords day was strictly observed by the Primitive Christians under persecution If these things be urged against us they cannot reasonably urge servants and inferiours now to crosse their superiours upon the Churches determination even for the Publique Worship 2. Or on the other side they must say that servants and inferiours are not bound nay that they are not free by the Churches determination to the Times of Publique Worship because of these inconveniences And then they grant our Antecedent That the Church hath not authority to command all its members constantly to observe that Time in Publique VVorship which it determines to them Of will they say that servants and inferiours are not members of the Church or that the Churches determinations reach not to them but so far forth as their Masters and Parents will give them leave and that they are free or rather not free