mans calling may be allowed to be the divider and the distributer of the chiefe Time of all men and so God and the soules of men have no other allowance for the chiefe Time to Religion then what those worldly considerations shall allot This thought about Gods indulgence is a most weighty and most necessary consideration in this dispute But it doth not seeme to be at all taken into consideration by our disputers in this question We shall therefore anon make a distinct argument of it that we may be sure they and all Readers that will take the paines to view those discourses shall not be able to misse it or passe it sleightly over But we must first make up this Argument and another in the meane Time We say then that by all this discourse of the Nature of God the Nature of the Soule the Nature of the Duties of Worship the Nature of the Body and worldly occasions Take any of them single and apart or joyne any of them or all of them together in the consultation and we are as farre as can be from any guesse how to proportion the Time betweene Religion and other matters except that we ought undoubtedly to say if we have nothing but these to direct us That to Gods honour and the souls benefit the farre greater proportion of Time is necessary and that it cannot be sufficient to let the world possesse the largest share And if this be true as we cannot see how it can possibly be denyed and we shall yet further confirme it in a following argument our Adversaries have made a goodly purchsse by disputing the abrogation of the fourth Commandement for one Day in seven In as much as in stead of their pretended Christian liberty not to be tyed to such a proportion all other rules call for twise thrise as much and rather for six Dayes of seven and leave but one for worldly businesses And if they shall object Excep that mens bodily lives could not be preserved with so little a proportion for worldly businesses and trades We Answer set aside the Wisdome of God Sol. and His allowance of six Dayes Worke in the fourth Commandement it is not possible for any man living or any number of men to assigne certainly how much Time is to be spent in worldly businesses for the preservation of mankind in a bodily life If there were that simplicity of Diet of Apparell of Buildings all other things that there was in the first Ages of the world and is yet in some Countries though our pride and curiosity call them Barbarous for it certainly a great deale lesse Time would serve then now doth for worldly matters And though as the constitution of the world now is we are far from blaming such Trades and Manufacturers or the using of them as sinnes because specially we beleeve God to have allowed six Dayes in a Week mainly for worldly businesse according to the fourth Commandement Yet we say still that if this allowance were not we see not any warrant to imploy mankind so much in these businesses which as we said have been spared of old and are spared in other places at this Day to so notorious prejudice and undervaluing of God and His honour and the good of soules And so still we are altogether at a lesse for a rule of wisdome how to determine our necessary and sufficient chiefe Solemne Time for Religion And therefore this determination could not be nor was ever left to man to Adam or the Partriarkes before Moses Much losse to the Gentiles and Heathen for themselves and theirs nor yet to the Church of the New Testament LII 5. Nor the old proportion of one Day in seven in the fou th Commandement But remained ever in Gods hand which is the thing to be proved But we must not forget our fifth Consideration mentioned in reference to the Christian Church That our Adversaries in their best moodes when they say The Church must not offend in excesse or defect not render the yoke of Christians too heavy by appointing too much nor slight or seeme to slight the service of God and render it contemptible by appointing too little They seeme to fancy that the proportion of one Day of seven though by no meanes necessary to be perpetuated may be a convenient direction that thereabouts it should be among Christians and accordingly in the Christian Church ever one Day in a week hath been observed which with the addition of Holy dayes more rarely appointed they count a sufficient Time for Religion equall if not superiour to the Time that God had from the Jewes under the Old Testament Now to this we have divers things to say though we will not offer to follow their extravagancies in and out step by step in this dispute but onely shew somewhat the insufficiency and absurdity of this pretence LIII This is proved absurd We say then 1. That for other Holy dayes besides the weekely Solemne day they come not properly into this dispute about the ordinary chiefe Time for Religion They are 1. Extraordinary Dayes of which kind the Jewes also had some of Gods appointing and some of their own more then many Christian Churches have though not so many as some others Also 2. These are taken up without any such rule as may either urge the conscience to judge them necessary or conclude them together to be sufficient Therefore 3. Also herein the Christian Churches greatly differ which as we have argued before must not be in the proportions of the chiefe solemne Time necessary and sufficient for all Christians Likewise 4. No Church Reformed that hath retained Holy dayes hath spoken fully and clearely about the Continuance of them and how necessarily they are to be observed to Religion and imployed wholly in Religious duties or not And so they come not properly into this dispute about the necessary chiefe Time for Religion 2. Leaving these out and considering the weekely solemne proportion it was of old determined to the Jewes in the fourth Commandement One whole Day of seven Both which as well as the particular seventh Day the Saturday Sabbath which they pin to the Commandement But we shal shew their errour in it hereafter our Adversaries make to be now abrogated by Christ that is both the number one Day of seven and the Continuance one whole Day Of both these we must now argue the case with them how upon the supposition of Gods making these void they can finde out a rule for the Christian Church to make a determination of the chiefe Time for Religion for Frequency and Continuance And first we must discourse of the Frequency LIV. 1. With respect to the Frequency For the number of one Day in seven which is from Christs Time to this Day observed and perpetuated among all Christians by all confession Some kept as is said more Dayes but all kept the Lords day the first Day of the Week and
occasionally and the Lords Supper seldome oftner then once a moneth in any Church which would so far forth prejudice the good that might have been gotten by that which is so omitted Or else very much scanty each of them and so weaken the good to be received by every one of them singly and jointly XXX 2. With respect to mens worldly businesses But withall on the other hand the considerations of mens worldly callings and necessary businesses would suffer no lesse if not more sensible prejudice by dividing the Time between more dayes then if it were all put into one It would hinder journies and day-labourers and all men of much businesse exceedingly For the publike worship being then to be waited on it could not be in most places of the country particularly and for the sake of weaker bodies till about nine a clocke in the morning or toward three in the afternoone if the beginning were not in the morning and this would marvelously disappoint travelling and indeed every worke which could noâ— at the clocke striking as one may say be laid downe and the â—â—r those that dwell a mile or two from Church as much Time would be spent in going to the publike worship and home againe if not more then in the worship it selfe and so it would be a most greivous interruption and hindrance to all their worldly businesses Neither doubt we but if the consent of men were asked one by one the most part by farre both of good and bad the willing and unwilling those that love the service of God and the businesse of their soules and those that love it not All would give their voyces to have the whole Time how much or how little soever the porportion were for houres upon one Day in such a revolution rather then upon more frequent Dayes with a shorter Continuance that so they that love Gods worship and their soules good might have more full scope for that And they that love the world better might have the lesse interruption in their worldly businesses and more freedome to follow them From which discourse before we passe to another Consideration XXXI A consequence from thence Let us make bold to put the reader in mind of a consequence that we suppose will undeniably follow if these premises stand good namely That unlesse fourteen or sixteen houres be too large a proportion to be determined for Gods Honour and the good of all mens soules within the revolution of seven Dayes then the dermination of one whole Dayes Continuance for so many houres in such a revolution will prove so substantially a profitable determination for all men in all ages As they will find it a very hard taske that will afterward goe about to prove either that this determination was not from the beginning considering what is said at least towards it Gen. 2. Or that it is not perpetuall since there is certainly no expresse repeale of such a proportion of Continuance within that revelution And whether now under the Gospell such a proportion be too large in the whole as we wish the readers conscience to bethinke it selfe seriously even now that he is upon this discourse So we shall give him a further occasion to resolve in a Chapter or two after Meane Time we have one Consideration more yet to adde about the kinds of determination of these respects of Time and which is the last of this sort 8. XXXII How the determination of the Quando or season is profitable As a joynt determination of the Continuance and Frequencie so largely as hath been said must needs be Profitable for all men alike because all men are a like concerned in the Worship of God and care of their soules good To which tend all the determinations of Time religiously so it cannot be denied but upon the supposition of such a determination there will be at last a Profitablenesse accidentall not only of some Quando season or order of beginning but of the same for all that live neere one another at least so farre as to secure the helping one of another in family or publike Worship and to prevent hindring one another even in solitary Worship or the admitting of hindrances one from another Only it is to be observed withall that as all accidents are in Nature after the substances to which they are accidents though they are oft together for Time And againe all separable accidents may be after in Time So this accidentall determination of the Season or order of Time for Religion is in Nature after the substantiall determination of the Continuance and Frequencie even though possibly it was in Time determined together as the Seventh Day from the Creation together with one Day of seven Gen. 2. Supposing we say the particular Day determined to Adam the same moment with the other yet was the determination of it after it in Nature as being but meerely accidentall to the businesse of Religion for which infallibly the determination of one Day in seven was made And if what we have discoursed of the alteration of the order without prejudice to Religion be good it might possibly be determined some while after in Time But however it must not be forgotten that the particular order or season of beginning this or that Day is only accidentally and in no sort substantially profitable to Religion as hath been proved before XXIII For the manner of Determinations And so we come to the third and last main Consideration about the Profitablenesse of determinations of Time for Religion namely about the manner of determination of any of the respects of Time or all of them 1. No Exclusive Determination is profitable 1. Here is specially to be noted That no Exclusive Determination for the generall businesse of Religion can be conceived to be Profitable That is It cannot be profitable to have a Determination of so much Continuance at once and never longer as well as not shorter and of so frequent a revolution and never oftener as well as no seldomer and at such a season or in such an order for beginning that is on such a particular Day or part of the Day Evening or Morning this or that Houre and never sooner as well as no later never at any other Houre or on any other Day This we say cannot be profitable to Religion because Religion in both the intendments of it Gods honour and the good of mens soules is every mans chiefest and most important businesse of all other all the time of his life The attendance therefore upon this must never be forbidden strictly which is in the nature of an Exclusive Determination in any respect But it is ever lawfull not now to say necessary to prosecute the businesse of Religion both voluntarily without determination of the Time beforehand as also to determine Time for it where the necessities of a mans worldly condition and worldly imployments can and doth admit it It is true that if
authority 3. Also if any want Authority to secure themselves in the Time determined or to awe unwilling inferiours as also to awe and satisfie their minds somewhat by the cleare equity and reasonablenesse of the proportion determined and distributed between the Continuance Frequencie The determination in all probability cannot be profitably even though it should be wisely determined For it would never be constantly observed by any whom it was made for If inferiours made it to themselves they would be oft taken off by the command of untoward superiours And they would not know what to doe because they are not Masters of their owne Time Againe It is certaine before hand that all unwilling Inferiours would despise it and neither observe it themselves nor suffer others that they had under them to observe it if they stood in no Awe of the Authority commanding And such a thing foreseen concludes any determination or Law to be so farre forth altogether unprofitable Likewise what ever wisdome or worldly Authority such should have as made that determination if they made it not with such cleare evidence of equity and reason on both sides that so much and so often were necessary and no lesse nor no seldomer and againe that so much and so often were ordinarily sufficient for the chiefe solemne Time and no more at once nor no oftener were requisite the unwilling would be sure not to regard the determination when they were out of sight and hearing as not holding themselves bound to so much or so often and so it would be still unprofitable in reference to such And on the other side the conscientious would be doubtfull whether so much and so often were ordinarily sufficient for the chiefe solemne Time and so neither would attaine a sufficient Profitablenesse to them 4. Most of all Such a Determination in all probability XXXVIII 4. Or all these will not be profitable if made by such in whom there is a want in all these respects of Wisedome Willingnesse and Authority sufficient for such a Determination of such consequence and importance as this is of And now whether any man or number of men even within the Church may not be found wanting in some or all of these requisites to make such a Conclusive Determination of the Continuance and Frequencie of Time jointly to make up the ordinarily sufficient and necessary chiefe solemne Time for all men as we shall discourse in a following Chapter shortly So we referre it to the Readers conscience in the mean while And goe on to adde the other Consideration opposite to this Namely 4. That that cannot but be a singularly profitable Determination XXXIX When all these meet the determination Conclusive is very profitable which is made Conclusively in both the respects of Continuance and Frequencie jointly by such whose Wisedome Affection to Religion and Authority is every way undoubted For hereby all scruple and pretence of scruple will be taken away about the necessity and sufficiency of this Time so determined for the ordinary chiefe solemne Time for Religion and the Vnwilling will be as much awed as by any other Law whatsoever and the Willing have a full and free liberty to attend it rejecting all unnecessary Interruptions from whomsoever Now all this is unquestionably true of God who did determine in this sort conclusively the Continuance to be a whole Day and the Frequencie jointly that it should be one in seven in the fourth Commandement undeniably to the Jewes as the necessary and ordinarily sufficient chiefe solemne Time of Worship Therefore also we can think no otherwise but that this Commandement in this regard is a substantially-profitable Commandement for all men in all ages to be bound unto And because we find not any certain Repeale of it afterward we cannot but think according to our Rule formerly laid down about such Lawes substantially-profitable that it is Morall and Perpetuall Neither doubt we but the consciencious Reader will be of the same mind too if we can prove as we even now intimated that no man or number of men to whom this may be supposed to be left by God under the New Testament can make the Determination in any proportion so profitable for Religion Gods honour and the good of all mens soules and consciences But of that as we said hereafter We have yet some further Considerations to adde about the profitablenesse of the manner of Determinations The next is XI A remisse determination is profitable for tryall of affections 5. A Remisse Determination namely of the Continuance or Frequencie of Time for Religion may also be profitable partly to recommend the importance of Religion to be attended as a chiefe businesse and particularly in such and such Duties which are named as being of chiefest importance to Religion and partly withall to intimate a mind in the Superior that makes it to try the affections of Inferiors to the businesse of Religion generally or any particular businesse of Religion which such Determination may particularly concerne by intimating somewhat generally about the proportion of Time for it but referring the speciality of it to their minds As we thus find God making a Remisse Determination of the Continuance for Prayer Col. 4. Continue in Prayer which implies some convenient proportion of Continuance to be ordinarily allotted to it but leaving the specialty of it to mens own affections which accordingly are exceedingly tried by such continuance voluntarily prolonged They whose affections are strongest to the duty and the businesse of the duty conversing with God and wrestling with Him for all manner of blessings doe undoubtedly continue longer and those whose affections are weaker doe continue lesse while Understanding this of the right praying of the heart and soule and not the lip-labour of the tongue or the outward continuance upon ones knees suppose even in secret where the mind is distracted by many fancies For so a man may continue a long while about the duty and yet continue but a little while in the duty Pray but a little while for want of godly at least strong affections But if a man pray all the while he is at prayer It is undeniable that he hath the strongest affections that continues longest So also God hath bâ—en pleased to give out a Remisse Determination for the Frequencie of reiteration of Prayer Praying alwayes Eph. 6.18 Of Meditation Thou shalt meditate therein day and night Jos 1.8 And of the Lords Supper often by those phrases Doe this as oft as you drink it in remembrance of me And as oft as you eat this bread and drink this cup 1. Cor. 11.25 26. Where the two former for Prayer and Meditation imply a very often reiteration yet not prescribing exactly the number how often and the other for the Lords Supper intimating some Frequencie yet not determining specially so or so often So in each leaving the specialty to mens affections and occasions And no man can deny but here also
universall or peremptory determination of this Continuance distributively betweene the Solitary Worship the Family Worship and the Publike Worship that is there is no need That all men should be bound to such an exact or strict Continuance in each of these single But so the whole Continuance be shared betweene all three and the Publike be not so short as to afford no remarkable space for an affecting prayer and preaching and the like and so no remarkable benefit to be gotten by it nor so long as to tyre out the spirits and disappoint those that dwell farre off of conveniency of returne to their family and solitary devotions besides the regard of bodily necessities It can hardly be blamed though some be longer and some shorter in publike and so in the rest For as much as God still hath and so also every ones soule hath the full Continuance determined and allotted which conscionably observed in the varieties of those Duties may be and will be ordinarily sufficient for their consciences and soules good and so acceptable to God though sometimes more of the Time be spent in publike and sometimes more in private And so at last we have done with the proofe of the necessity of such a chiefe solemne Time to be determined for the necessary and ordinarily sufficient Time for all men It remaines that now in the last place we come to argue By whom this determination must be or may be made But for that the next Chapter is purposely reserved this having been already drawne out to a more then ordinary length through the necessary dependance of so many matters contained in it And yet there is one thing behind for the close of this Chapter LII How farre the Law of Nature commands about the Quando or season And that is a briefe discourse about the Quando season or order of beginning when once the former determination is Conclusively setled for the Continuance and Frequency of the chiefe solemne Time How farre the Law or light of Nature will guide or command about this or any generall Rules of Scripture Leaving the question by whom it also is to be determined unto the following Chapter and here only touching in a few words for many will not need about it It having no such substantiall profit as the Continuance and Frequency toward Religion but only accidentall as is needfull to be againe and againe inculcated to our adversaries who would cast off all that was heretofore determined by God because this is taken away Touching we say how farre it is necessary that there be any determination strictly and conclusively of the Quando season or order of beginning that is for the particular Day of that number that is determined for the chiefe Time of Worship and even of the beginning of that Day sooner or later at evening or morning this or that houre Now this I shall dispatch in foure Propositions 1. There is a necessity that some particular Day of such a number determined be determined before that number can be constantly observed 2. There is a necessity that to all that live within the reach one of another and so may possibly be helpes one to another or hindrances one to another the same particular Day of such a number be determined and so farre at least the same season of beginning the Day that all may afford convenient helpe to each other and none prove hindrances one to the other 3. It seemes most consonant to the Law and light of Nature and Scripture-reason that unlesse God determine it otherwise Himselfe the beginning of the Day should be in the morning that is after midnight rather then in the evening before 4. It seemes greatly conducible to the honour of God from all mankind and to the generall Communion of Saints all the world over that the same particular Day of such a number should be determined to all men of the same age that is from Adam to Christ and the same from Christ to the Worlds end all the World over to observe it according as that Day begins with them in the Countries where they live and are LIII 1. It is necessary that some Day be determined For the first of these It may easily be made good even by this one Consideration That making the instance in any one number as suppose one Day in ten be determined it thence inevitably followes that the very neglect of determining another particular Day makes the Determination fall upon the last of the ten For when all the other nine are slipped over and none of them determined the last of the ten unavoidably must be observed the first revolution and withall remaines for ever after determined unlesse a new Day be afterward determined by as sufficient authority as was in the determiner of the number and then also without an alteration of the determination of the number the new determination can only be placed upon one particular Day namely the first of the ten And so if it be done by sufficient authority it may be done without any violation or alteration of the determination of the number at all For the strength of the determination of the number lies in these things 1. That there should be but one Day for Religion to nine for worldly businesse and againe but nine for worldly businesse to one for Religion and neither more nor lesse either way ordinarily 2. That those nine Dayes being the number of working Dayes should come all together and the Day for Religion not come between them for then sometimes there would be lesse then nine together and sometimes more Now this is observed plainly and undeniably in both respects in the instanced change from the tenth Day to the first Day For in those two Revolutions of twice ten Dayes there are but two Dayes for Religion the last of the first ten and the first of the latter ten and there is twice nine Dayes for worldly businesse and in each Revolution either number of nine worldly Dayes are entirely all together and the Dayes for Religion come not in to break the number as they would doe if the second Day were determined for then there would be one Day for work only and the next for Religion and so not nine work-dayes together and again if the ninth Day were determined then there would have been in that Revolution but eight Dayes together for work and a ninth not a tenth Objection according to the determination formerly setled for the number observed for Religion If any say that this would be how ever but for once and that were no great matter specially if Religion lose nothing by it as by bringing the Day sooner it would not We answer It is true if the authority be sufficient Answer to change the number the matter is not of importance But if the authority that would change the order of the particular Day from the tenth to the ninth or so and ever after keep a tenth from
to have prophaned it as Ezekiel hath told us Therefore also they are not reproved for not observing any times at all Yet doubtlesse many of them were so Atheisticall and irreligious as they observed not the times of their own Superstition Yet to observe some times our adversaries and all men confesse is absolutely Morall Naturall and bound all the Gentiles in all ages But because they observed not those they did observe unto the honour of the true God but of Idols therefore we say they are never reproved for any neglect or inobservation of Times at all But on the otherside when God mentions by His Prophet Esay Chap. 56. The sonne of the stranger joyning himselfe to the Lord He againe and againe calls such to the observation of the Sabbath with most ample promises as a most essentiall part of Religion and most necessary to every Servant of God A Law then from God Himselfe is most necessary for His Honour and for Religion concerning the chiefe Time for His Worship Though to those Nations that have cast off His true Worship He hath not particularly revived it not having given them His written Word Sol. 2 2. To the other objection concerning the good of mens soules 1. We say not that the observation of the Sabbath or any sufficient Times in Duties of Religion will save mens soules or benefit mens soules without the revelation and Faith of Christ 2. But we say that a Law from God Himselfe concerning a Sabbath or the necessary and sufficient chiefe Time for Religion is necessary unto every man as a Morall meanes towards the attainment of salvation and the good eternall of mens soules as well as towards the right honouring of God And therefore God hath not put over the making of such a Law unto men whether Christ be revealed to them or not revealed to them neither to every man for himselfe single or to any speciall men or number of men for all the rest XIII Nor 2. is this Authoritie given to some speciall men for the rest And now having proved this sufficiently enough concerning it s not being put over to every man single and we suppose not too prolixly considering how we argued withall that if it belong to men it must belong to every man single And our largenesse about this may stand us instead an on also We proceed to the second maine branch of our second Argument Namely That God hath not given Authority to any speciall men or number of men to determine the chiefe Time of His Worship for all men This question is disputable in three severall distinctions of Time or Ages of the World The first we make for this matter from Adam to the mention of the Sabbath to Israel Exod. 16. The second from thence to the making void of all the Jewish Dayes the particular Seventh Day Sabbath and all by the Resurrection of Christ and preaching of the Gospell by the Apostles The third from the making void of the old Seventh Day Sabbath to our Times and so to Christs second comming And in each of these Periods of Times Two sorts of Persons are generally considerable 1. Those that were out of the Church by the revolt of their Ancestours from Gods Covenant made with Adam after his fall intimated Gen. 3.15 Namely Cain and his posterity and those that fell off to them Gen. 6. and those of Noahs posterity that fell from the Covenant renewed with him and Sem according to the intimations of Gen. 9. Namely the race of Cham and even of Japhet and Sem also the most of them turning Idolaters as is said even of Abraham and his Progenitours before God called him Jos 24.2 and so the greatest part of the World remained and doth remaine out of the Church and Covenant of God to this Day 2. In all ages from Adam even untill now God hath had a Church some though at Times very few He renewed His Covenant with and made them His peculiar servants And so were outwardly the whole Nation of the Jewes the seed of Israel particularly from their comming out of Egypt till the destruction of Jerusalem after their rejection of Christ their promised Messiah And ever since and a while before He hath had a Church chiefly out of the Gentiles who have received His Gospell and the Faith of Christ Now we are to take a view of both these sorts of men the Pagans so lets us for distinction sake call the former sort and the Church in the three Periods of Time forenoted In all three of them it is controverted concerning the Pagans what sufficient Times they were obliged unto or are and by what Law by whose determination And for the Church or servants of God in the first and the last for in the middlemost it is beyond all peradventure that God determined the Time to the Jewes and left it not to them But yet even during that Time because there might be and doubtlesse were in some part or other of the World still some few servants of God among the Gentiles It will be justly questionable by whose Authority the determination of the necessary and sufficient Times was made even for them where ever they were and what proportion soever was determined though never so small a Continuance and seldome revolution These things thus premised we thus propound our Aurgument against any speciall men having this Authority for all the rest XIV If so then either to Pagans or to the Church If God have given it now or heretofore to some speciall men for all the rest of mankind Then either to some speciall men among the Pagans for all within their Countries and to the Church for all their knowne members Or to the Church generally for all mankind both the members of it and all others But neither hath God given this Authority to some speciall men among the Pagans for all within their Countries and to the Church for all their knowne members Nor yet to the Church generally for all mankind both its members and all others Ergo He hath not given it to some speciall men for all the rest of mankind The Consequence is undeniable the enumeration being sufficient The Antecedent hath three branches considerable In the scanning of which we will begin with the first and next take the third and leave the second to the last Place Which will appeare to be the convenientest method of proving them though the Argument could not so well be contrived in that order XV. 1. Not to Pagans This is proved absurd First then we reason against this Authority being left to any speciall men among the Pagans in any Age of the World whether Governours of Families of Townes or Countries or Kindomes That they should have in their hands the determination of the necessary and sufficient Times for Religion for themselves and all under their Authority And we say that God Himselfe did determine it to Adam and so to his posterity and that
the loosing it among the Pagans doth not acquit them from sinne though their sinne be but of ignorance in not observing it still And that they have not nor had not any power to determine the sufficient Time having lost the knowledge of Gods determination And so for any servants of God in those Paganish places that they were not to expect the determination of the sufficient Times for Gods Worship and their soules good from their Paganish Superiours But that God Himselfe did vouchsafe it to them by revelation or by His Word after it was written and His determinations therein exprest and that to those only they were to hold And now against the Paganish Authority thus we dispute 1. XVI 1. By the importance By an Argument formerly used That which supposes God to leave a thing of exceeding importance in Religion to the consciences and judgements of men devoid of conscience or true knowledge of God to determine not only for themselves but for all that are under them is not to be credited or admitted But to say that God hath given to any Pagan Governours Authority to determine the sufficient Time of His Worship is to suppose that He hath left a thing of exceeding importance in Religion to the consciences and judgements of men devoid of conscience and true knowledge of God to determine not only for themselves but for all under them Ergo That God hath left this Authority to Pagan Governours is not to be credited or admitted Both the propositions of this Argument have been formerly confirmed Only there is a clause in this which being illustrated will make it of much greater force And that is The determining the sufficient Time of Worship for all those that are under them Concerning which letting passe the consideration of their Paganish inferiours let us put the case as it is the case really at this Day with sundry Christian Captives among the Pirates of Algiers of any servant of God living in a Paganish Country and under the tyranny of an infidell Master or Governour Can it be supposed that such are bound to serve God and attend solemnely on Him even in solitary Worship no other being to be had and take care solemnely of their owne soules good no other Time then their infidell and Pagan Masters and Governours determine to them Nay we say rather are they free and at liberty to attend on God and their soules no other Time then what their Infidell and Pagan-governours determinations allow them As suppose Joseph sold to Potiphar and afterward the Jaylours servant in the prison They know themselves bound to serve their Masters and Governours in all worldly service and bodily worke and labour every Day and all the Day long except the necessary Times of naturall refreshing by sleep and eating and the like and the Times that must be tendred to God and for their soules good in solemne Religious worship Now if there be no such determination of any sufficient Time for Religion to them but only according to the pleasure of their ungodly superiors Is not this a bondage worse then all the residue of their outward bondage That though they have never so great desire to waite solemnely upon God they can have no sufficient Time for it Or though their soules need it never so much as they cannot without miracle but need it extremely where specially they have never any helpe from any publike or domestick worship but all their good and comfort must come from solitary worship yet they cannot be allowed it Because God upon this supposition of putting it over to their Pagan and profane masters hath in effect debarred them from taking any and much more from determining any to themselves without their Pagan-Superiors allowance And if they should offer it they might be challenged with disobedience for not working continually every Day and all Day long as much as their naturall spirits could hold to at their Superiors command and might be urged with better reason then Pharaoh did the Israelites Exod. 5. You are idle you are idle therefore you say let us go sacrifice unto the Lord our God For they had Gods expresse command to warrant them and Pharaoh could not gainsay it though he would not obey it But here Pagan-Superiors have the full advantage of them and have the Law in a manner wholly in their own hands as having authority to command in all things even this not excepted Because God hath put over this authority of determination expresly of the Time sufficient for His worship to them Now unlesse we can imagine that God will so far ratifie this supposed authority of Pagan Governours in this matter as to accept as sufficient for His honour and blesse as sufficient for His servants soules any pittance of Time that they shall allow and determine or rather which His servants can redeeme in any breathing times that they afford them in naturall respects and so make any the least proportion sufficient how can we say that God hath left the Determination of this sufficient Time to Pagan Governours But we adde further we must not admit the state of the Question to be varied We propound the present Dispute about the detetmination of this sufficient Time to whom it belongs as supposing it must of necessity be determined to Religion Because therefore it is not to be believed that Pagan-Governours will make this determination for their inferiors which are Gods servants as experience also shewes in places where Christians are now slaves this determination must belong to some other then to them And we before gave some Reasons why single men should not have this authority to themselves whereof one was which is specially appliable to this case That it would be lesse honour to God lesse good to their Soules lesse comfort to their Consciences then of God himselfe should determine it for them For in the case in hand if the determination were Gods own they might have more confidence to plead it to their Pagan-superiors and hopes by their faithfulnesse and diligence at other times to obtaine liberty to observe it Or if they could not yet they might comfortably suffer for it in refusing any work contrary to it Suffering according to the will of God they might as S. Peter speaks 1 Ep. 4. ult who we verily believe includes this case in that sentence commit their soules and lives and all unto Him in well-doing as unto a faithfull Creatour Whereas if they had no expresse determination from God they could not so plead His Honour And they would be apt for the saving of their skins and bodies to neglect their soules often having no certainty what they ought to observe but their own conceits and determinations upon it and so their comfort both in waiting on God and following their Superiors work and in suffering or scaping would be wavering and disturbed in that they would be perplexed with manifold distracting doubts whether they had determined too much
prove it and then the fourth Commandement which they like not because it would tie them to a whole Daies continuance would be their only sufficient refuge Therefore also their Reasons are very doubtfully and waveringly propounded And so we esteeme that such an Answer is over ambiguous to be sufficient to satisfie either of our Arguments And if they will hereafter or any for them offer to make an answer definitely and clearely either to the necessitie or sufficiencie of the proportion Let them have but one Day of ten or twenty as necessary and two houres of that Day or nominate those or any other proportions of Frequencie and Continuance as sufficient Whatever they instance in and whether it be well or ill yet will it suffice for our Arguments to justifie them and confirm that the Church hath no absolute or legislative authoritie to determine this chiefe Time necessary and sufficient to Religion But that Nature and Reason or Scripture some or all of these doe before-hand determine the necessitie and sufficiencie of it And that the Churches office herein is no more but of a Cryer or Preacher as our Divines urge against the Papists in point of the Churches authority to determine what Bookes are the Word of God to declare and pronounce and then consequently to use her authority over her members to urge them to the observation of it as much as may be and not at all of a Lawgiver to determine it And thus much we verily beleeve these Arguments have evinced undeniably Which therefore we againe desire our Readers to observe that so the Churches absolute and unlimited authority may be no more urged in this controversie no not in generall and so deceivable termes And then we doubt not but many Readers will soone see a necessity to have recourse to the fourth Commandement as Gods own determination of this necessary and sufficient chiefe Time for Continuance a whole Day for Frequencie one in seven as the only sure ground for consciences to rest upon in so important a matter And that many more not to say all that are not swallowed up with prejudices will be of the same mind when we have expresly discussed whether the Churches wisdome will or can suffice to determine from Nature and Reason and any thing in Scripture besides the precise determination of one Day in seven according to that fourth Commandement the just proportion of necessarie and sufficient Time for Religion Which we shall take to taske ere we make an end of this question in this Chapter In the meane Time we goe on to a fourth Argument If the Church have Authority to determine the chiefe Time for all its Members XXVIII Argument 4. The Church cannot determine Time for family or solitary Worship then it hath Authority to determine the Continuance so laregly to extend beyond the Publike Worship even to take in both domestick Worship where it may be had and specially solitary Worship by every Christian apart before and after the Publike Worship But the Church hath no Authority to determine of Continuance so largely as to extend beyond the publike Worship even to take in both family Worship where it may be had and specially solitary Worship by every Christian apart before and after the publike Worship Ergo The Church hath no Authority to determine the chiefe Time for all its Members The consequence hath beene proved before at large in the former Chapter that the Continuance of the chiefe Time must be so large as not only to allow but to necessitate before and after the publike Worship family Worship also where it may be had and however to necessitate as well as to afford liberty for solitary Worship by every one apart The Antecedent may be thus strengthned 1. It is usually said That the sword nor the keyes meddle not within doores that is Neither the Civill Magistrate nor the Church-governours take upon them to make affirmative Lawes for private families for negative they doe in reference to what they doe among themselves not directly concerning the service of the Church or State And least of all do they meddle with their Time of which every governour of a family is counted Lord and Master or Lady and Mistris for themselves and all under their authority Even when a man is bound by Indentures to teach his apprentise his trade yet not at this Time or that Time or so long together Therefore we find not that any Church or Christian Magistrate though forbidding worke to all even within doores upon such and such Dayes hath yet commanded Parents or Masters to catechise their children and servants within doores on those Dayes precisely or pray with them or examine them what they have learned in publike or any such like Duties of Religion 2. But specially in reference to solitary Worship secret prayers secret thanksgivings secret meditations of the word heard or of any other heavenly and divine matter concerning God and the soule The Church hath no authority to determine any Time which necessarily must be spent in any of these Duties or any other in secret Of which we conceive a double reason 1. Because no authority of man is supposed to reach to that which neither themselves nor any other man living can ever come to know whether it be observed or not Which is the case plainly here No man can know nor all the men in World when I retire my selfe any Day and shut my selfe up in my chamber whether I pray or meditate or performe any other solitary Worship to God or not Unlesse I tell them afterward or speake so loud as that they over-hear me which I am not bound to doe or rather am bound not to doe It is altogether vaine to say no more to determine and command that which no account can be taken of by those that command it or by any man else whether it be obeyed or not 2. But further secret Duties and so Time to be necessarily imployed in them are immediately Duties of conscience even the most inward and spirituall that can be Now no authority of man of the Church or any other reaches immediately to the conscience and the inward and spirituall part of Duties But only the Authority of God alone Here againe the Church or any superiour may give Counsell or declare the will of God about such Duties or such Time to be so imployed But cannot command or determine it Whereas we are speaking of a Time that must be determined of which therefore the Church hath no Authority If it be objected that the Christian Magistrate XXIX An Exception answered or the Church hath authority to appoint a publike Day of Fasting and Humiliation and this to be spent in Religious Duties as well private as publike till the end of the Day and if so why not for the ordinary chiefe solemne Time We Answer in a word Sol. that the Continuance of a publike Fast is before hand determined by God in Scripture
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
it is more liberty to be bound to the Churches determination even of the same proportions of Continuance and Frequency then to be bound to a Commandement of God If they shall say XXXV Some Exceptions answered Sol. that the Church was at liberty whether it would have determined so much or not We answer This is indeed something in respect to the Church-Governours those that have this supposed authority of determination But it is nothing at all of liberty in respect to the ordinary members of the Church to the greater part of Christians they are as strictly tyed by such a determination to one whole Day in seven by the Churches authority as the Jewes were of old by Gods authority or as we say Christians are now And if they would say Excep 2. Sol. the tye were lesse strict Besides that they have not shewed wherein supposing such a determination we say then the determination were vaine For it is vaine to make a Law to determine a Time or any thing else authoritatively and then for those to whom it is made not to be tyed strictly to it particularly in a Law of this nature for a necessary and sufficient Time for Religion which supposes a firme obligation to observe it being once determined by just authority We say therefore againe where is the Christian liberty 3. Even the Governours liberty were but for the first turne if that be true which we have argued before that this Time being once determined by whomsoever is unalterable by man And even if the Church universall had power to alter it yet till such an Assembly as did properly represent the Church universall all Churches had no liberty at all and however much lesse the members of the Churches 4. Except 3. If they place the freedome and liberty in determining a lesse Continuance than a Day as indeed this is the maine thing they drive at We answer 1. that our Church in practise Sol. against worke hath determined no lesse then a Dayes Continuance wholly and the 13. Canon of 1603. speaks no lesse affirmatively for the observation of the whole Day though in some generall termes 2. And then they must say that it is unlawfull for the Church to determine a whole Day which they cannot well doe considering 1. that a whole Day may be lawfully observed by their own confessions and they usually hold that what a man may doe voluntarily the Church may enjoyne to doe Also 2. we have argued one Day at least in ones life to be Morall-Naturall and therefore God doth not in likelihood refuse the determination of a whole Day in a convenient Frequencie As likewise 3. We have shewed that a whole Dayes Continuance in a convenient Frequencie is clearly the most profitable distribution of the proportion for the chiefe Time and far more advantagious both for Religion and worldly businesse then a lesse Continuance with a more Frequent Revolution There is no probability therefore at all unlesse there were a certaine word for it in Scripture which there is not that God should allow the Church liberty to determine the Continuance any other way and not allow the determination to a whole Day 5. Yet againe if so This may be satisfied with determining it to begin within a quarter of an houre of every ones waking and to continue till within a quarter of an houre of their lying down to sleep or of midnight and what remarkable liberty were this to be granted as a spirituall priviledge and purchased by the blood of our Redeemer as they sometimes speake to us in scorne when we name some few restraints on the weekly Sabbath to the Jewes which we are now freed from 6. But above all we desire the Christian Reader to consider two things more the one is how that can be called a spirituall priviledge or Christian liberty if the Church have authority to determine remarkably lesse Frequencie or specially lesse Continuance then God determined to the Jewes Remarkably lesse then a Day When the soules of Christians are toyled with worldly businesses all the week long and almost over grown with the thornes of worldly cares and distractions through multitude of imployments specially being servants and inferiors or men of great trading or of much businesse even in publike affaires as great Statesmen and they long for the Sabbath the chiefe solemne Time that they may have leisure to breath toward God and refresh their soules with converse with Him in Publike Domestick and Solitary worship and so provide for Eternity specially that Day all other Dayes being so much taken up with temporall and earthly matters And now the Time is so short by a scanty determination that specially as soon as the Publike Worship is over they are againe called upon by their earthly businesses and forced to their worldly drudgery again as their spirituall soules will call it even by others importunities and haunting them specially themselves being inferiors Is this we say a spirituall priviledge a Christian liberty for which the blood of the blessed Redeemer was in part shed to purchase it What our Adversaries consciences when they doe more seriously to consider it in cold blood then perhaps they ever yet have done hitherto will judge of this we know not But for our own parts we are so far from counting or calling this a Christian liberty that we esteem it were a miserable slaverie and bondage to soules and consciences And so contradictory expresly to the gracious intents of our most gracious Redeemer whose blood hath procured us all advantages to our soules that can justly be desired and in no wise left us in worse condition for our soules good then the Jews were And we doubt not but the conscientious Readers will be greatly of our minds We wish our Adversaries sadly to consider it 7. The other Consideration is That if a Christian upon this supposition of a scanty determination of the Church in the point of Continuance whether superior or inferior but specially if an inferior Or even in the case of observation of whatsoever Time determined by the Church be it more or lesse oftener or seldomer shall in their voluntary observation of any other Time or in their obedientiall observation of their determined Time be encountred with froward interruptions though not of necessity sufficient to be yeelded to by Gods reservations or specially be commanded or threatned or misused by Masters or Parents in opposition to it Were it to be counted a spirituall priviledge to have no better ground of suffering then the Churches determination Were this to be reputed a Christian liberty purchased by the blood of our divine Redeemer by the blood of God as it is Act. 20. Or rather an unhappy want of a firme foundation of confidence in suffering Wherein Christians having the expresse word of God determining them to this whatever it be of Time which they observe they may justly triumph and rejoice in any losse or reproach or suffering
whatsoever We conclude then We discerne nothing lesse then a spirituall priviledge or Christian liberty for this chiefe necessary and sufficient Time for Religion to be left to the Churches determination And therefore we say doubtlesse such authority of determination was not left to the Church XXXVI Arg. 8. Then a matter of great importance were left to great uncertainties As We argue yet againe in the eighth place If this authority of determining the necessary sufficient chiefe solemn Time for Religion unto its members be left to the Church Then is a matter of greatest importance in Religion left by God to manifold great uncertainties even among Christians But a matter of greatest importance in Religion cannot be supposed to be left by God to manifold uncertainties even among Christians Ergo This authority is not left to the Church The Antecedent needs little proof considering the perfection of the Scriptures and the singular love of God toward His Church His Christian Church specially Whom though He hath favoured with not prescribing to them many particularities to which He obliged His Israel of old Yet it is not to be believed that He would leave them at manifold uncertainties in a matter of greatest imporatnce to Religion His own honour and their soules good For this were no favour to them but a token of disfavour rather This will be cleareer when we have illustrated and proved our Consequence which we thus endeavour XXXVII 1. What is meant by the Church 1. It is uncertaine even to many Christians whose piety is not to be despised nor their learning neither what is meant by the Church to whom the authority is given in any matter by God Some pleading for particular Churches or Congregations to have it in themselves even Independently Others are for Classicall and Presbyteriall Assemblies of divers Churches and so higher Synods of Provinces and of a whole Nation Others again are for Bishops and the authority to be in them and Synods of them and Delegates under them and Archbishops and Primates c. above them Also all but those that are of the Independencie doe ascribe a chiefe authority the chiefest that the Church Chhistian hath to a Generall Councell representing the Church universall We name not here the Popish plea for their universall Bishops authority as beyond a question among Orthodox and Reformed Churches among whom our present dispute is Now we say that even this Vncertainty and the disputes about all these things doe so exceedingly enervate the strength of any Churches determinations as that it is apparently enough seen and known that they are scarce any where further obeyed then men stand in feare of the Church-censures and not alwayes then neither many chusing to incurre the censures rather then be tyed to such observances as they thinke God hath not tyed them unto Which Principle would be sure to make any determination that any Church should make except only a Generall Councell of the whole Church Of which yet we have divers things to say by and by little better then none at all with many perhaps with most specially if the Church should pretend to determine the Time to extend to domestick and most of all to solitary worship as we have shewed it ought so to extend 2. Againe where this is agreed XXXVIII 2. What persons have any votes that the Churches authority belongs to this or that Assembly Instance in any or all Yet is it not agreed nor certaine in many minds who againe we say are not to be despised what persons in these Assemblies have votes and suffrages to determine any thing by way of authority in those matters wherein that Church or Assembly hath authority Even those that are for Independencie of Churches agree not all in this Some plead for all the People that are Men Others only for the Officers Ministers and Elders and in some matters taking in the Deacons also Those that stand for Classes Presbyteries and Synods Some admit all the Ministers of a Province to the Provinciall Synod Others a lesse number chosen out of the severall Classes or Presbyteries Again some admit their Lay or Ruling Elders to have decisive voices in points even of Doctrine as well as Discipline Others restraine matters of Doctrine only to Ministers Pastors and Teachers Those that plead for Bishops some argue for their sole authority without the suffrages decisive at least of any Presbyters Others require a joint consent of a competent number of Presbyters and they again are divided Some standing for a set Presbyterie in or neere the City Others for all the Diocese which therefore they would argue ought to be but of a narrow extent Againe when they come to speak of a Provinciall or Nationall Synod of Bishops It is disputed whether any Presbyters ought there to have decisive voices and if so how many and by whom and in what manner they are to be chosen whether by Proxies or not Also of what validity any such determinations by any of these Assemblies Provinciall or Nationall for instance shall be of before or without the consent of Secular Princes and States specially being Christian And once more for Generall Councels what persons have right to vote there we meane not from humane custome or the like but divine authority of which we now dispute whether only Bishops as some say Or Presbyters also as others maintaine or also Lay-men as not a few doe likewise pleade And which way soever we take it What numbers to be chosen for each Nation And by what way and consent And when met whether to vote by Nations as in the Councell of Basill or by the major part of the whole Councell Now all this we say renders our determination in hand exceedingly the more uncertaine which would be argued by some to be a point of Doctrine by others to be a matter of discipline and by Princes and States to be a thing specially concerning the Civill State also by reason that men that while must be ordinarily forbidden all Civill businesses and so they are to have a share in this determination if in any at all And the issue must needs come to this that none would thinke themselves bound to hold such determination necessary or themselves or theirs bound to observe it necessarily if the whole way of the determination were not according to their opinion about the authority Besides that as much question would also be made by divers others about the sufficiency of the Time And so we say againe The determination could not be but unsufficient and unsatisfying greatly to great numbers of Christians XXXIX 3. Whether they doe not erre in their determination 3. Suppose a full agreement about the persons to whom the authority belongs Yet no man holds that all the decisions even of generall Councells are infallible The Major part may erre about the necessary proportion and determine too much about the sufficiency and determine too little The generall Councell
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
so a ground of wisedome would there not be greater danger of variety about the Frequency and Continuance 2. In all Churches that were neere one another diversities of Dayes would breed great disturbance of one another and the members of each from others and hindrance also to trafficke and journies and all businesse and in a word introduce nothing but disorder and confusion Which yet would be more increased by a diversity in regard of the Frequency and Continuance whereby those that observed and were tied to more and oftener would be reproacht by others as over-precise and would be apt to grumble at their owne bondage And they that observed and were tied to lesse and seldomer would be censured as prophane and carelesse of Religion and perhaps would be in doubt of the sufficiency of their Churches determination and so be apt to make a schisme in it or from it 3. If it were resolved once that this authority did certainly belong to every particular Church it would hardly be agreed among them unto whom it did belong Whether to the Minister or Ministers alone as some would thinke Or to them and the Ruling Elders together as others would say Or to the whole people with them that is all the men growne as others would maintaine Or even taking in women also as the Anabaptists doe in matters of Church-government And in this the difficulty would be the greater because as we have urged before the thing concernes the consciences of every one exceedingly in a point of necessary practise for Gods Honour and their soules good and necessary freedome for their soules benefit and necessary satisfaction for their consciences We say this concernes people as well as Ministers or Elders and women as well as men and therefore all must have some share in the determination So farre as if it be not at all determined in any respect as even for Continuance they must determine it for themselves And 2. If it be too burdensomely and unnecessarily they may and must ease themselves of that burden And 3. If it be unsufficiently they must provide better for their consciences and soules and Gods Honour And so in effect it would devolve to every particular person for themselves single which we have before disproved as that which would infallibly fill the World and the Church with irreligion disorder and confusion 4. Place this authority where you will or can in a particular Church Yet considering the small number of Ministers and Elders take them together in particular Churches and the weaknesse and corruption that even they are not free from and specially the people are liable unto suppose them as good as can be supposed Upon how slender a pin doth Religion Gods Honour and the good of those soules depend if so important a determination for Religion be altogether trusted in their hands specially having no certaine Rule to make it by as we shall see straight way 5. Last of all can it with any reason be imagined That the Church of Troas or that of Corinth or those of Galatia all founded by Saint Paul unlesse that of Troas were by any other Apostle would have offered to have made so important a determination without the Apostle or some other of the Apostles For what least matter can be produced that any particular Church in those Dayes did ordaine by their owne authority And much lesse then would they have medled with this Neither can it be supposed as was noted before that the Apostles preaching the Abrogation of the old Jewish Day the Saturday-Sabbath and as our Adversaries imagine also the cessation of the whole fourth Commandement in regard of the words of it would not have determined to the Churches where they preached these things or at least with them this great matter which must of necessity be observed and so determined for the honour of God and the good of every Christian soule namely a new proportion of Continuance and Frequencie for the chiefe Time to Religion and a new Day for it Yet we shewed in a former Argument both by evident reason and our Adversaries assertions that the Apostles did not meddle to make any of those Determinations any where Therefore we suppose it to be fully cleare that the Particular Churches did not make those Determinations to themselves neither had they authority so to doe And so no Church had or hath But it ever belonged to God and was by Him done for all succeeding generations of His Church in the fourth Commandement for the Continuance of a whole Day and the Frequencie of one in seven And by vertue of this and other intimations in the New Testament for the Lords-day the first Day of the Weeke to be the particular Day And so we have as we are perswaded XLVI Arg. 12. All men want wisdome to determine it sufficiently and clearely refuted the supposed authority of the Church and of all men about the Determination of this chiefe solemne Time necessary and sufficient for the chiefe Time of Religion unto all Men and Christians that is in point of Authority properly But we conceive all will be much more strengthened which we have argued by the addition of another generall Argument against any mans or number of mens determinations of it even the Churches whether in times of the old Patriarks before Moses or the Christian Church of the New Testament and that is in point of Wisdome As having no Rule whereby possibly to guide themselves steadily in the making of this determination of the chiefe Time necessary and sufficient For whatsoever we take into consideration that may seem to make towards a Rule will and doth render it more perplexe Either calling for so much as men will never be willing to grant necessary or leaving them altogether uncertaine whether that they would pitch upon were sufficient both in reference to the whole proportion of the chiefe Time as also the distribution of that proportion whatever it be between the Continuance and Frequencie save only in case they would pitch upon a whole Dayes continuance to which Nature inclines very much as we have intimated before and must againe further urge Thus we reason If there be in Men no sufficiencie of wisdome to make this Determination of the necessary sufficient chiefe solemne Time for Religion to themselves and others Then this Determination belongs not to Men. But there is in Men no sufficiencie of wisdome to make this Determination Ergo It belongs not to Men. The Consequence needs no great labour to prove it God is too wise too jealous of His own Honour too full of love to His peoples soules to leave such a matter as this is so important to Religion to be determined by such as have not a sufficiencie of wisedome for it XLVII Having no rule to guide them The Antecedent is further proved in this manner If there be no Rule whereby Men may guide them steadily about the Proportion necessary and sufficient for the
and out of which they are not at that Time And all bodies have besides both Locum Internum which terminates their bodies as also an Exteriour Place within the ayre or water or viz. which by a naturall physicall necessitie they do require and take up and fill namely a Place proportionable altogether to their own bignesse for length breadth and heighth And this they never change while the bodyes are the same This proportion of Place is immutable being naturally fitted to their bignesses how ever the bodies move from Place to Place in regard of their Vbi Now if we take Place in this consideration there is indeed an equallity between it and Time in Religion or any other businesse or action both are necessary physically as we say that is inevitably whether we think of them or no whether we will or no. No man no creature can rid himself of the company of Time and Place Esse cum tempore Esse in loco are as inseparable adjuncts as their own very being But this is such a weake consideration as we should be ashamed to mention it in a serious discourse but that we find our Disputers even seriously holding this forth as a remarkable equallity between Time and Place in Religion that nothing can be done without some Place as nothing without some Time and that this should insinuate them both alike and of equall importance Whereas in true and sober understanding neither the one nor the other come at all into a Religious consideration in this sence Vertue nor Vice Ethically or Morally and much lesse Theologically or Religiously having no manner of relation to such Time or Place or such Time or Place to them Therefore we dismisse this consideration as unworthy of any Time or Place in our discourse but that our Disputers wisdome or Philosophicall naturall not morall reason hath laid a necessity upon us to say thus much of it that it may no more hereafter be talked of in this controversie There is a second necessity naturall of Place to humane actions XVIII 2. Vitally Religious or Civil which we may call vitall or medicinall that is that the proportion of the Place wherein one Prayes or many or tenders any service to God be of so large a compasse for length bredth and heighth as that a man may have roome to breath and that his limmes and members of his body be not so crushed or crowded as thereby his life or health should be violated and endangered From whence followes a necessity of a larger Place for many then for one or few Now in this consideration also we will not deny an equallity between Place and Time Place must not prejudice the life or health by the straightnesse No more may Time by its over long Continuance or too much Frequency for any Religious duty or any thing towards it watching fasting or the like But this kind of necessity is rather Negative then Positive in true construction and is not for Religion properly in a Morall or Theologicall consideration as was noted before but only naturall vitall medicinall respecting the bodily spirits and but indirectly the mind or soul And therefore we need not multiply more words of it Meane time we have a third naturall necessitie to consider XIX 3. Animally or sensitively which we may call animal or sensitive namely that the Place where one is met with others to worship God be so large for roome and so ordered for neernesse to him that is to speake whether in Prayer to God for all the rest or out of the Word by Reading or Preaching to all the rest as that all and every one may be able to heare whatsoever is spoken And this consideration once more equallizes Place and Time This being like to the necessity of light Time whether Naturall of the Day light or artificiall of Candles Lampes Torches c. that all may both read that can read and besides may know to behave themselves orderly in the service of God and may partake of the Sacraments in a fitting and decent manner But againe this consideration is rather Negative or Privative then Positive and though drawing neerer to Religion then either of the two former yet being not properly a necessity Theologicall or Morall but animall and sensitive the Senses not serving but within such a distance and with such helpe Whereas Religion is chiefely exercised in the mind and may be solitarily without any present use of the Senses and when publikely the Senses are accomodated with fit Place and Time the mind perhaps is wholly irreligious So that here is a very small matter toward Religion affirmatively and certainly by all this necessary Place had and observed And yet this is all the necessity to Religion that we can conceive that Place in it selfe considered and Antecedent to all command of God of which by and by is capable of in any respect relating to Gods Worship and the good of mens Soules as we shall see more anon XX. The profit of Place is accidentall in regard Sutable hereunto somewhat also may be said of the profit of Place as it may be thus or thus diversified toward Religion But whatever it is it will be found only accidentall and not any way affording any substantiall profit like that which we have before noted and must now againe for this purpose repeat of the profitâ—blenesse of the Proportion of Time both for Continuance and Frequency in a substantiall manner as we may call it 1. Of fitnes First then there may be an accidentall profit or rather convenicy for that here is the more proper phrase in Place when well contrived for the largenesse of it according to the company and for the coolenesse in hot weather and warmth in cold weather and shelter from raine and wind and the like Yet this it is not amisse to observe is so little toward Religion that the Jewes had not by Gods command any such thing in that Court of the Temple where they met but were in the open ayre lyable to raine and stormes as appeares besides the evidence of other proofes by Ezr. 10. vers 9.13 Though it is also true that some of the godly Kings provided somewhat toward it cal'd a covert for the Sabbath which wicked Ahaz is branded for taking away as in spite to the Worship of God a Kin. 16.19 Whereunto we may adde the conveniency of fitting seates and galleryes and windowes for more light and such like accommodations and the Places of publike Worship being not too farre from the dwellings of those that are to have recourse to it And like unto this accidentall profit of Places is the accidentall profit of Time heretofore noted namely the seasons of Time as that the publike Worship particularly be not too early nor too late in the morning or at night whereby men would be apt to be sleepy or drowsie nor too long continued in the extremities of heat or cold which would dull mens
also another use namely Typicall as we have also noted But the people of God ordained some likewise as the Dayes of Purim and Feast of the Dedication And as for the Christian Church they by degrees grew to observe sundry Dayes of memoriall in a yeare and haply made good use of them in the Innocent Times but afterward these also degenerated into Superstition and burden and even proved matters of Idolatry as that Papists Dayes formally dedicated not to God but Saints Angels and the Virgin Mary In which they pray solemnely to them and worship their Images and Reliques above all other Times Here then they may go again for equall Place and Time a small profit and some danger of disprofit Only the Continuance of Time well imployed may be and is a reall and substantiall profit so far forth as our Anniversary Time of thanksgiving for deliverance from the Powder Treason in experience and reason is Also Gods Day of memoriall sets Time above Place he having now ordained no Place for that end So that the advantage here is for the Time of which a great deale more will come to be shewed now straight way XXIV 5. As Typicall 5. The last kind of profit that we can think of which Place can afford to Religion is still accidentall namely Typicall serving by the command of God for a Ceremonially Spirituall use Such was the Place of the Tabernacle and Temple which related to CHRIST whose humane nature was the true Temple wherein dwelt all the fullnesse of the Godhead bodily and directed to expect all the acceptation of our services our spirituall sacrifices from their being presented in Him and in His name to the Father and the unlawfullnesse of presenting them otherwise And answerable hereunto Time the seasons of Time as we have formerly discoursed even all that God of old appointed all the particular Dayes He set apart for His worship he made first or last to be typicall and to have a Ceremonially Spirituall use relating to Christ as Saint Paul tells us Col. 2. In this againe then Time and Place of old were equall And so are they now too Not that there is any such use of them in the Christian-Church now But that there is no such use of either of them any more We will not urge or pleade for a Ceremoniall or Typicall use of a seventh Day-Sabbath under the Gospel However some friends seeme a little to doe so by some phrases perhaps unwary certainly unadvised Nor of the Lords-day though it is a strong memoriall as appointed by God in memory of Christs Redemption by His resurrection on that Day of the Weeke Also no Place now doth or can inherite such a Typicall profitablenesse Men never having power to invest it with it and God having devested it by the comming of Christ in the flesh and the consequent destruction of His Temple at Jerusalem We say then That in this respect as well as the former Time and Place have been and are equall in Religion one as profitable as the other But we have now done with all their equality and with all the necessity or profit that can be in Place this or that or any Place toward Religion Of which we have had nothing properly Theologicall or Spirituall but this last which was meerly accidentall by Gods absolute pleasure and institution and the rest only properly for the bodies convenience and very little or nothing to the mind except accidentally to the fancy or memory But nothing substantiall or in the nature of the thing it selfe toward the Soule its inward good Gods glory and so the advancement of Religion And now there are yet behind manifold considerations of Time the proportions of it the Continuance and Frequencie wherein it is Ethically and Morally substantially and materially profitable and even necessary in the most Theologicall respect that can be for the securing and advancing of Religion Wherein it will undeniably appeare to be beyond comparison superiour to Place and that Place in those most important respects XXV Three differences in nature between Time and Place toward Religion can in no sort pretend to be equall to Time in Religion Only first let us but premise two or three differences even in Nature between Time and Place which though perhaps at the first view they may seem but sleight yet upon second thoughts they may possibly be counted worthy the noting as foreboding as we may say the greater and more remarkable differences in Religion First then Place our Place is terrenum quid an earthly kind of thing we being on earth its foundation is on earth and is defined by an earthly body of which it is the superficies And accordingly as we have already said it hath only properly relation to the body and bodily conveniences But Time is coeleste quid a kind of heavenly thing whose foundation is in heaven being derived from thence from the motion of the celestiall orbes and heavenly lampes of light being measured by them and being the measure of them And accordingly it is proper to helpe us forward toward heaven 2. Place is quiddam crassum materiale a kind of grosse and materiall thing and so only concernes the bodies convenience directly which is a materiall substance But Time is quiddam immateriale spiritale as we may say a kind of spirituall and immateriall thing and so hath a more proper influence into the mind soule and spirit 3. Place is in its owne nature fixum immobile quid a fixed setled steady thing which moves not and so lesse care is required about it the same Place that serves conveniently for one businesse will often without any care taking serve for another the same Hall or House for divers kinds of Councells at severall Times But Time is mobile fluidum quid a fleeting fleeing thing that slides away silently like a river without noyse and so the same particular Time in any of the respects is irrecoverably lost if slipt and neglected and accordingly if good care be not taken about Time the whole action or businesse comes thereby to be disordered and marred So that even in Nature to begin with the differences are apparent between these two Time and Place and so in Civill or Artificiall actions they are not equall XXVI In Religion at least 20 differences 1. Time indeterminate is of great importance not so Place But much more manifestly and importantly in Religion in very many Considerations which we now proceed to enumerate and waigh 1. We have noted of Time even indeterminate That it is a circumstance of much importance toward any businesse that admits variety of degrees as getting Learning and Religion doth Both the proportion of Continuance and of Frequency even either of them is very materiall and a substantiall advantage or disadvantage toward Learning and Religion according to the largenesse or scantinesse of it and that in an Ethicall and Theologicall Consideration But of Place we now