pag. 213. the observation of the Lords day among Apostolicall traditions and Saint Augustine proveth it by his former generall In his Ser. p. 24 see also more rule saith the same Father Bishop White Doctor Pocklington saith that Saint Paul had ordered in Galatia and Corinth that his Disciples were to have their meetings on the first day of the week whereunto they submitted themselves and so did saith In pag. 5. he the whole Church of God by their example for ever after He telleth us also that the Apostles and Disciples of Christ thought it fit to appoint and command the day to be kept holy And indeed in the place of 1. Cor. 16. 2. is a plain Apostolicall ordinance which carrieth the force of a Commandment In Gen. 2. 3. on fâ—urth Com. as Piscator noteth and Bishop Hooper which albeit it be about a Collection yet he appointeth it upon the first day of the week And heare for this what the Learned Bishop White saith of this place Although this text of Saint Against Brab 211. Paul make no expresse mention of Church-assemblies this day yet because it was the Custome of Christians and likewise a thing convenient to give almes upon the Church-dayes it cannot well be gainsaid but that if in Corinth and Galatia the first day of every week was appointed to be the day for almes and charitable contributions the same was also the Christians weekly holy day for their religious assemblies This opinion for the Apostolicall tradition as it hath the fuffrage of the ancient so of later writers men very Learned Beza saith it is Apostolicae verae divinâ— traditionis Apostoli In Rev. 1. 10. In Gen. Rhem. on Rev. 1. 10. Hos confes Rom. Catech. on 3. Com. Ielisins fol. 292. Cat. Rom. on 3. precept Bell. Tom 1. de cult sancto li. 3. ca. 10. 11. with others cited by Sprint pag. 13. saith Mercer in Dominicum diem converterunt to wit the Sabbath Hereto agree many Papistes who hold that the Lords day was established by the Apostles and that Jussu Dominico as some say by Christs Commandment And that these places Act. 20. 7. 1. Cor. 16. 1. Rev. 1. 10. do manifestly confirm the same Doctor Heylin acknowledgeth without doubting that the religious observation of this day had the approbation and authority of the Apostles and may very well be accounted amongst Apostolicall traditions Now their authority is no lesse than divine 1. Because they were instructed by Jesus Christ himselfe in all things which he heard from his Father John 15. 15. who gave them Commandments concerning the Kingdom of God by the infusion of his spirit to make them receive the same Act. 1. 2. Secondly For that they had this holy spirit to guide them into all truth John 16. 13. in teaching both for matter Act. 2. 4. 14. and 4. 8. and manner 1. Cor. 2. 13. Act. 2. 4. In answering Adversaries Matth. 10. 20. Mar. 13. 11. Luk. 12. 12. In resolving doubts Act. 10. 19. and 11. 12. In decreeing Canons and judging of Controversies for setling of mens minds in the Church Act. 15. 28. In rebukeing sharply the wicked Act. 13. 9. In ordering matters in the Congregation 1. Cor. 14. 37. with cap. 7. 13. In ordination of Ministers whom they ordained in every Church Act. 14. 23. and these so ordained by them are said to be set over the people by the Holy Ghost Act. 20. 28. no doubt because the holy Apostles were guided by the Holy Ghost in such ordinations yea in their advice about things indifferent they had assistance of Gods spirit 1. Cor. 7. 40. Now then put all these things together can it be imagined that the Apostles observing this day Act. 20. 7. and setting a glorious title upon it Rev. 1. 10. that it can be other than divine they guided herein by the Holy Ghost who ordained also upon this day the first day of the week to prepare for the poor and why on this day because as Bishop White saith it was the Christians weekly holy-day which being as is afore witnessed Apostolicall and the Apostles so in all things guided by the holy Ghost this day must needs be of Divine authority This the Church of Auspurg Act. 7. confesseth that the day was changed by Apostolicall authority directed by the spirit Lastly as it is in these respects of Divine authority so farther also because it hath Jesus Christ the Institutor of it Of which in the next Chapter CHAP. X. It is of divine authority from Christ himselfe THis sacred day is of so divine authority as that by many reasons it may be proved to be appointed by Christ himselfe To hold this is neither a Novelty nor a tenent of singularity Apol. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In frontes Hom. de Semente Wallaeus citeth other Test in his dis de Sab. See Wilâ—et his Synop. Pap. fol. 500. 1. It is no novelty for Justine Martyr saith that the Apostles received it from Christ Athanasius telleth us that the solemnity of the Sabbath was translated unto the Lords day by the Lord himselfe who sheweth at large that it is of Christs institution from the words of Matth. 28. 18. All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth It is said in the constitution of the Emperour Leo that the Lord himselfe did chuse it for his honour 2. It is no singular opinion for it hath the assent of many learned men Junius on Gen. 2. saith it is not by humane tradition sed ipsius Christi observatione instituto Tilenus in Synt. Loc. 44. pag. 276. holds it to bee ab ipso Christo institutus Bishop Andrews in his Sermon on the resurrection pag. 529. saith how can it be the Lords day but that the Lord made it Bishop Lakes in his Sermon on the Eucha saith that Christ did substitute the Lords day in the place of the Jewish Sabbath Doctor Fulk on Rev. 1. 10. affirmeth that it is a necessary prescription of Christ himselfe Of this judgement is Doctor Lindsey Bishop of Brechen in his preface to the assembly at Perth in Scotland and many other Divines And the Arguments to prove it are these following Argument 1. THe day which the Lord made he is the Authour and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to advance 1 Sam. 12. 6. so to observe and celebrate Schindelerus in his Dict. De Saâ— circumcis so doth the B. of Ely D. Andr. so Procopius on Gen. 1. Epi. 119. ca 13. ad Ian. Institutor of But this day which is the day of his resurrection Psal 118. 24. is the day which the Lord hath made it is honoured and preferred before other dayes to be observed and celebrated therefore he is the Institutor of it This day Athanasius understandeth of the Lords day the day of his resurrection as doth S. Peter who alleadgeth this Psalme for Christ after his resurrection Act. 4. 10 11. and indeed as the Psalmist
the Commandements of God 1. Cor. 14. 37. And it is acknowledged of all that the whole Catholick Church from that time till this day hath duly observed the same Therefore is it one of those things commanded by Christ to be observed and taught by his Apostles which the whole world hath so religiously kept hitherto And it will not bee denied that such an universall religious observation can have any lesse ground for it than the authority of God himselfe being so unanimously kept in all ages for these 1600 yeeres without gaine-saying as our Homily avoucheth very plainely Argument 5. EIther himselfe instituted this day for his publick worship or left it to others to appoint it for that end But he left it not to others Therefore he instituted it himselfe for his publick worship That he left it not to others to institute wee may thus reason 1 God his Father when he had ordained his worship did not leave to Moses nor to Israel his Church to appoint a solemn day for it but he himselfe instituted it Exod. 20. 8. When the Idolaters in Israel Exod. 32. did invent a worship they that invented it instituted a day for it verse 5. Jeroboam devised a worship which when he had done he ordained a day for it 1 King 12. 32. 33. So did Nebuchadnezzar devise an Idoll and a worship for it and appointed the dedication and day of the solemne worship Dan. 3. 2. The miscreant Prophet Mahomet as hee gave a Law and prescribed a worship so hee himselfe instituted his day for the same and did not leave it to the arbitrary will and pleasure of his Worshippers to ordaine and appoint Therefore from all this I conclude unlesse Christ should doe as his Father did and be lesse carefull of a day for the solemnitie of his set worship than the very Idolaters hee must bee the Institutor of this day which we observe to him For it cannot be proved that at any time in any age of the world that any publick worship was ever invented to be observed but the very Authour and Inventor thereof was also himselfe the Institutor of the day for that worship not leaving it to any others will to appoint the same for him 2 If Christ left it to others as to his Apostles then either before his ascension during his abode with them which is absurd to conceit or after his ascension if any doe think so then it will follow that from his resurrection to his ascension the space of six weeks the Church had no set day under Christ publickly to doe him solemne service For the other seventh day hee took away by his lying that whole day in the grave so that if he appointed no other day for it himselfe the Church had then for that space no such day But as I have proved Christ blessed the day of his resurrection and in this space from his resurrection to his ascension the Apostles and Church observed it And therefore he ordeined it and left it not to them 3 Wee are to understand that there are some circumstances about Gods worship which he hath ever reserved to his own authoritie and never left them determinable to any but to himselfe such bee these which doe concurre about the observation of the Lords day The first circumstance of this kinde is that which concerneth the very substance for time of performing of publick worship whether one day in a yeere in a moneth in a week or whether a part or some few houres of the day be to be set apart for his service or the whole day bee his The determination of this time is substantiall and God alwayes appointed the same as the ordaining of the Sabbath day and other holy dayes set apart by God doe manifest The second circumstance is that whereof there is no reason to sway or guide the judgement this way or that way but the will of God must bee needfull to the determining of it Such a circumstance is the proportioning of time and rest on the Lords day for Gods service For if reason could regulate it then should it bee the Law of nature but by his written Law and revealed will hath God ordered it The third circumstance is that which is of universall observation by all which none but God can impose by his supreme authoritie to which all are alike equally subject And such an universall circumstance is this for observation of this day by all Christian people and by the generall consent of the whole Church of Christ in all ages Therefore this day was not left to the Apostles to be determined but appointed by Christ himselfe Undoubtedly Christ would imitate his Father and set a day for his publick worship as he did And can we suppose our Lord Jesus Christ to bee lesse carefull than the Turkish Mahomet or other Idoll Worshippers in ordaining a solemn day for his publick service But if this day which we observe be not of his appointment then have wee none for all other dayes are the ordinances of the Church and observed only by humane authoritie 4 That which the Apostles did observe not only by inspiration but by way of injunction and command from Christ here on earth through the Holy Ghost that hee ordained and left it not to them to ordaine But the Apostles did observe the Lords day not only by inspiration but by way of injunction and commandement from Christ here on earth through the Holy Ghost And therefore he left it not to his Apostles The Minor is thus proved from Act. 1. 2. where it is said that Christ Jesus through the Holy Ghost gave Commandements to his Apostles in which Commandements is included the Lords day as before is proved which Commandement with the rest he gave them through the Holy Ghost that is he in giving them did convey his holy Spirit into them to make them to understand them to retaine them in memory to make conscience to observe them and to teach others to observe them as commanded from him for so much these words through the Holy Ghost import when hee gave them Commandements and spake of the things pertaining to the Kingdome of God So that through the Holy Ghost here is not meant as afterwards the divine inspiration of the Spirit directing them as occasion served to ordaine things expedient and profitable for the Churches of Christ which he himselfe immediately commanded not but left them to them as by the wisdome of his spirit they should be informed But here is to be understood the then operation of his Spirit upon them to receive the Commandemets which at that present in his own person he gave them which they should observe and teach others to observe as his own Commandements and as he himselfe had charged them to doe in Matt. 28. 20. when as here in Acts 1. he was to depart from them and to ascend up to his Father Of other things after Christs ascension the Apostles spake from the
taken away and David appointed in his stead I am bound by the selfe same Law to honour David Even so is the accommodation of this fourth Commandement Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy this is the Commandement what day soever it be applyed unto The accommodation is the seventh day is the Sabbath day to keep it holy this the Commandement doth binde us unto as long as the day is unchanged and not taken away But the day being altered yet the Commandement abideth and is of forcâ— when another day is appointed in its roome as is now our Lords day And therefore the Commandement is Remember the Lords day to keep it holy From whence here note that as the taking away of Saul took not away the Commandement of honouring the King and Davids comming in Sauls stead held up the practice of the same Commandement Even so the taking away of the seventh day took not away the authoritie of the fourth Commandement and the bringing in of the Lords day in stead thereof holdeth up the practice of it and by it we are bound to observe this day as the Jewes their day And therefore may we pray as our Church teacheth us Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keep this Law And that without any Judaizing at all CHAP. XII That this day cannot be changed WEe have heard how that the day is of a divine institution and therefore is not subject to alteration by man The Church saith our learned Doctor On Rev 1. 10. In Cases of Consc ca. 16. In his Thesis Fulk hath no authority to change it so holds Master Perkins Bishop Lakes speaking of Christs resurrection giveth this reason saying as no man can change the work to another day so no man can therefore change the day This is an undoubted rule in Theology saith that learned man 2. What honour and dignity the Holy Ghost giveth unto a day cannot by the authority of man be taken from it to put it upon any other day but the first day of the week hath by the holy spirit this superscription set upon it The Lords day therefore it is not alterable by any to any other day to call that the Lords day 3. If the Church can change it then hath the Church authority to weaken the grounds on which the observation of the day was first setled but that she hath not or else can bring better reasons for the alteration else it were folly to alter it but there never was hitherto nor now is nor ever shall be any such reason to alter the day as there was for setling of the day to wit the blessed resurrection of the Lord Jesus of the excellent glory of which work yee have heard before Therefore the Church cannot change it into another day 4. Whosoever changeth one thing for another in matters of an high nature must have equall power with the first Institutors or receive authority so to do from them But the Church hath not such authority in her selfe or by delegation from either Christ or from his Apostles And therefore cannot change the day 5. It hath beene ratified by many Synods by ancient Councells by Imperiall Constitutions and Edicts of Kings established by the Lawes of Kingdomes and Countreys as it cannot be altered 6. The long continued custome of observing it from the first day in the Apostles time by the whole Primitive Church and by all Christian Churches since in all ages for these 1600 yeares without any gain-saying maketh it unalterable it being observed upon such grounds as is before mentioned To conclude to what purpose is it for any now to hold the change thereof when never from the beginning there was ever any one particular Church any Synod or Councell or any Orthodox writer in ancient times attempted it Nor ever durst any power on earth goe about it But all the holy Fathers and piously learned have with free consent endeavoured the setling and honouring of this day as may appeare in their writings and praises of the same as shall be manifest in the next chapter It is not therefore changeable either absolutely or practically nor have Christians at any time saith Bishop White judged it reasonable or convenient to alter such an ancient and well grounded custome which is commonly reputed to bee an Apostolicall tradition To this let me adde in the last place the judgement of that reverend Authour of the Antidote That seeing the observation of the Lords day hath beene confirmed by so many Constitutions Ecclesiasticall and Imperiall and hath withall continued with such uniforme consent through the whole Christian world for so many ages ever since the Apostles times the Church not to dispute what she may or may not doe ex plenitudine potestatis ought not to attempt the altering of it to any other day of the week CHAP. XIII Of the honourable esteeme of this our Lords day and that it is to be preferred before all other festivall dayes THere be many reasons to manifest the honourablenesse of this day and to preferre it before all other Festivalls 1. The blessed Apostle hath exalted it with the glorious title of the Lords day Rev. 1. 10. The Lord Christ his day as Bishop White speaks a title proper and peculiar Page of his book 208. to it Now things and persons named the Lords are sacred and venerable saith he in the highest degree which day was generally and religiously observed of all Christians And albeit the Apostles took advantage to goe and teach in the Jewish Synagogues upon their Sabbath yet saith Doctor Pocklington for which he citeth Eusebius and Page 11. of his Sermon Ignatius the blessed Martyrs in the Primitive Church by the doctrine and example of S. Paul and the Apostles so unfeignedly abhorred the observation of the Jewish Sabbath that they esteemed the observers thereof and the contemners of the Lords day the very sonnes of perdition and enemies of our Saviour and sellers of Christ So dis-regarded they the one and honoured the other 2. The ancient Fathers and others have given it tearmes of honour Justine Martyr called it Sunday as many others In Orat. ad Anton. after him no doubt as the chiefe of dayes as the Sunne is the most glorious to our eyes above all other planets In Cod. Just. lib. 3. tit 12. it is called venerabilis dies Solis the venerable and much honoured Sunday as Bishop White expresseth Against Brab page 197. Ad Magnes it Ignatius the Martyr who lived at least thirty yeares in the dayes of S. John and was his hearer calleth the day the Queene and Paramount of dayes Eusebius See the quotation of these in B. â—hite pag. 209. calleth it the principall and the first S. Chrysostome a royall day Greg. Nazian saith it is higher than the highest and with admiration wonderfull above all other dayes S. Basil the first fruits of dayes Chrysologus the primate of dayes A day above all
Scriptures Master Brerwood confesseth That it is meet that Christians dedicate the day wholly to the honour of God that we should not bee lesse devout in celebrating the Lords day than the Jewes in celebrating their Sabbath Because saith hee the obligation of our thankfulnesse is more than theirs Therefore hee wisheth that it were most religiously performed with attendance to holy devotion This day faith Calvin is wholly to bee dedicated to him Calv. on Deut. cap. 5. vers 12. 13. 14. and it is necessarie that so we may intend wholly to the minding of Gods works and bestow the day in praysing and magnifying Gods name wee have no cause saith hee to grudge the giving of one day to him seeing hee leaveth us six for one Let any man give a reason if they give any part of the day to Christ why they should not think him worthy of all the day Is it too much for him and whole six little enough for our selves If wee will take a part from him for the whole none will except they be worse than Jewes and Pagans in observing their dayes which part is it not the morning for when shall we begin then to serve him Not the ending of the day for why are we weary of well doing Gal. 6. Gal. 3. 3. shall wee begin in the spirit and end in the flesh A liberall friend that hath seven pounds in his hands and giveth me six of them freely owing me nothing to imploy the seventh for him If I should grudge to bestow it wholly and take without leave any part of it to my selfe were I not most ungratefull Againe every holy thing is holy unto the Lord and is it not sacriledge to robbe God either of the whole or of part Lastly let us consider this that hee which willingly gives not God all would give him none at all if it were not for by-respects more than conscience of duty For conscience will binde to give the whole where all is due as well as a part of the due Therefore God commanding a day and an whole day as he giveth us six whole dayes so let us afford him his owne day and that wholly CHAP. XV. How this day is to be kept holy morally as the anâ—ient Sabbath was kept FOr the better satisfaction of moderate minds and to cleare this point let us consider how the ancient Sabbath was kept morally how our Lords day was kept in the time of the holy Apostles how to be kept by the stablished authoritie of our Church and how Emperours Kings Councels Synods Fathers and others would have it kept yea God himselfe from profane pollutions Concerning the first the ancient Sabbath was kept in rest and in the employing of that rest unto religious duties which what they were see at large in the other Treatise Section 25. For the Ceremoniall and Leviticall Services on that seventh day they are abrogated so all the Jewish superstitition brought in by mens vaine Traditions are condemned likewise those accessorie precepts for the more strict rest on that day belonging only to the Israelites for a time are taken away and doe nothing concerne us and are not to be imitated of us But the ancient people of God are to be followed of us as farre as the fourth Commandement bindeth us in the naturalitie thereof in the spiritualitie and in its morallitie as the holy people of God then kept it in such common duties as wee are as well as they were bound to performe for Gods service and for the benefiting of their owne soules in the use and exercises of his heavenly ordinances on his holy day This is farre from any Judaizing at all so much laid in the dish and reproachfully cast upon many in these times but without cause at all if the matter be well weighed and they rightly understood as it were to bee wished Their Service was both in the forenoone and in the afternoone every day Num. 28. 3. Exod. 29. 38. then much more on the Sabbath day For in the morning of their Sabbath they had the Service in the Tabernacle and Temple and their Sacrifices doubled Num. 28. 9. and also burning of incense in the morning Exod. 30. 7. So in the afternoone both Sacrifices and burning of incense and thus every day continually Exod. 29. 38. 30. 7. 8. To this David alluded in Psal 141. 2. This afternoone Service was about three aclock and called the ninth houre of Prayer Acts 3. 1. what time the godly used to pray Dan. 9. 21. and which Eliah observed in the offering of Sacrifice 1 King 18. 29. and we read while the incense was offered the people were devout in their prayers Luk. 1. 10. Preaching was also in the Temple for there Christ preached Matth. 26. 55. Mark 12. 25. Luk. 19. 47. John 7. 28. of which as of any strange thing the chiefe Priests and the Elders did not aske him but of his authoritie so to doe Matth. 21. 23. Luk. 20. 1. 2. And into the Temple earely in the morning came hee to teach John 8. 2. and the people to heare Luk. 21. 38. whither the Jewes alwayes resorted John 18. 20. Here also the Apostles preached Acts 3. 1. 12. 5. 21. 23. 42. And in this place no doubt was it in which the Scribes and Pharises sate to teach the people Matth. 23. 2. It is most certaine that on the Sabbath day in the Synagogues there was constant reading and preaching Acts 15. 21. 13. 27. In the morning Christ went in to preach Mark 6. 2. in other places it is not so evident what time it was whether in the forenoone or afternoone when hee came into their Synagogues Mark 1. 21. Luk. 4. 16. 13. 10. nor what time of the day the Apostles went into the Synagogues Acts 13. 14. 14. 1. 17. 2. 10. 18. 4. 19. nor is it certain whether they did depart home a while and came againe It may be they held out from the beginning to the ending and to the breaking up of the Congregation as it seemeth probable in Acts 13. 43. so Nehe. 8. but it is certaine that upon their dayes of fasting they did hold out and continued together from the beginning to the end Nehem. 9. 3. Whatsoever they did for the time they holily begun their Divine exercises with a blessing Nehe. 8. 6. and ended with a blessing Num. 6. 23. 26. Lev. 9. 22. 2â— CHAP. XVI How our Lords day was kept in the Apostles dayes and the Primitive times THe Lords day being knowâ— to bee an holy day and to be kept holy the Church rested on this Histo pag. 95. part 2. day for performance of religious and Christian duties as Doctor Heylin acknowledgeth There was an assembly of Christians they came together saith the Text Acts 20. 7. who came together the whole Church 1 Cor. 14. 23. whither into some one place 1 Cor. 11. 20. 14. 23. for then they had no Temples but met