The Necessary Use of the Christian Sabbath, Title page – To the reader
Propoſitions, TENDING TO PROOVE THE NEceſſarie vſe of the Chriſtian Sabbaoth, or Lords Day; And that it is commaunded vntounto vsus in Gods WORD. WHERE VNTOUNTO IS added the Practice of that ſacred Day, framed after the rules of the ſame WORD. By IOHN SPRINT, an vnvvorthie Miniſter of the Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt, at Thornebery in Glouceſter ſhire.
ET VSQUE AD NVBES VERITAS TVA
P. S.
Imprinted at London, by H. L. for Thomas Man, …
The Summe of all, in one Syllogiſme.
That the Lords daie, or Chriſtian Sabbaoth, is The Lords Dayneceſſarily to bee obſerued by all Chriſtians to the end of the World.
WHatſoeuer dayes obſeruation was in the Newe Teſtament Sanctified byſanctified, and ſet apart to an holy vſe: 1Chriſts reſurrection.Firſt, by Chriſt his triumphant reſurrectiō. 2Chriſts firſt apparition.Then, by his firſt appearing to his gathered Apoſtles & Diſciples, fiue times on that ſame day. 3Chriſts ſecond apparition.Next, hy his ſecond appearing to his gathered Apoſtles. 4Holy Ghoſt apparition.Fourthly, by his ſending of the Holy-Ghoſt to his Apoſtles gathered againe, and bleſſing of their doctrine by conuerſion of ſoules. 5Command ordinance of poſtles.Fiftly, by Apoſtolicall Commaund, & Conſtitution, to be obſerued by Chriſtian Churches. 6Chriſts commandement.Sixtly, by Chriſts Commaund, not to be profaned of anie faithfull Chriſtian. 7Practice of poſtles.Seuenthly, by Apoſtles ſolemne practice of preaching, miniſtring the Sacraments in the Chriſtian Congregation, and meditation of the Scripture. 8Title giuen the Holy-GhoſtEightly, by the holy-Ghoſts induing it with a notable & peculiar title of the Lords day. 9Practice of and the moſt p… Churches.By Apoſtolicall, primitiue, and all later reformed Churches general and continual practice, from thence vntounto our times. 10Iudgeme… the moſt ſo … all & godly l… ned.By the iudgement of the ſpirituall & moſt godly learned Teachers and Writers of the former and later ages. 11Effectes Gods bleſſin… ▪By the witneſſe of Gods generall and continuall bleſſing of the practice therof, with peace of conſcience, ioy of the Holy-Ghoſt, and ſenſible increaſe of knowledge and grace in all ſincere Chriſtians, that with ſoundneſſe prefeſſe the Goſpell eueryevery where. 12Diſlike and …anation by …e wicked and …ſound.And laſt of all, by the diſlike and oppoſition of the onelyonly moſt wicked of life, ignorant of mind, or otherwiſe vnſound in iudgement and doctrine.] The Obſeruation of that Day is moſt neceſſary, and doth tie the Conſcience to the end of the World.
But ſuch is the Obſeruation of the Lords day, or first day of the weeke; and ſo confirmed in eueryevery point. Therefore,
The holy Obſeruation of the Lords day or firſt day of the week, is moſt neceſſarie, and doth tye the conſcience to the end of the World.
The Propoſition confirmed.
For the firſt member: Look Section, 56, 55. For the ſecond, third, fourth, ſeuenth, and ninth: Look Sect: 61. For the fift and ſixt: Looke Sect, 58, 59. For the eight: Looke Sect. 55, 54, 59, 60, 64. For the tenth, eleuenth and twelfth: Looke, Sect, 65.
Proofes of the Aſſumption in the ſeuerall members.
The 1. There is no queſtion of this point: but that Chriſt roſe on the firſt day of the weeke.
The 2. That Chriſt appeared 5 times on that firſt day of the weeke; which was the day of his reſurrection, and of the Chriſtian Sabbaoth: firſt, to Mary Magdalen. Mark. 16 9. Io. 20. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. Secondly, to the woman: Mat. 28, 9, 10, 11. Thirdly, to the two Diſciples: Luk. 24. 18. Mar. 1…. 13. Fourthly, to Peter: Luk. 24 33. 34. with 1. Cor. 15, 5. Fiftly, to the eleuen: Mark. 16. 14 Excepting Thomas: Io. 20. 24. Wherein our Sauiour dooth comfort, inſtruct, authoriſe, and ordaine the Miniſters of the Newe Teſtament, and giues them power to preach and adminiſter the Sacraments & Diſcipline. Io. 20. 22. 23. with Mar. 16. 15. 16. Mat. 28. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. This was performed in the night: partly by Chriſts appointment: Matth. 28. 16. Partly for feare of the Iewes, not daring to aſſemble by day. Io. 20. 19. The day notwithſtanding ſanctified by Chriſts fiue fold appearing; and the Diſciples holy meditation & conference of and with Chriſt.
The 3. That CHRIST appeared the ſecond time on that day ſeuen-night (Con…ing, comforting, inſtructing, reproouing) appeareth; Io. 20. 26, 27, 28, 29. Where it is ſayd, after eight dayes (including and counting the day of Chriſts reſurrection for one of the eight, which is that day ſeuen-night:) as if he ſhould ſay the eight day after: by an Hebraiſme. The like ſpeech in Luk. 2. 21. & 1. 59. Leu. 12. 3. Thus Caluin, Beza, Piſcator, Rollock, take it: and ſo do the very Papiſts, Ferus, Ianſenius, & Emmanuel Sa. vponupon theſe places.
The 4. That the Apoſtles met vponupon this very day (the firſt day of the weeke, on the morning; Act. 2. 15) appeares, becauſe they met on the day of Pentecoſt. Act. 2. 1. with Leu. 23. 15. 16, called the feaſt of weekes. Exod. 34. 22. Which was the morrow after the Sabbaoth. Leu. 23. 16. 15. This alſo, the computation of Weekes betweene the feaſt of Eaſter, and Whitſontide dooth prooue: For it is called foreign: as if one ſhould ſay, the fiftieth day. Act. 2. 1. becauſe fiftie full dayes, or ſeauen weekes are to paſſe betweene the feaſt of Eaſter or Paſſeouer (the day after which, Chriſt roſe) and the feaſt of Whitſontide or of weeks: Leuit. 23. 15. 16. Exod. 34. 22. on which day the Apoſtles now met. For this truth, look the iudgement of Auguſtine, de tempore ſer. 251. Nazianzen apud Baroniū: Leo Ep. 81. & Concil. Conſtantinopol. 6 Caluine, Beza, Piſcator: with the Papiſts. Bellarmine de cultu ſanctorū: lib. 3. cap. 11. See Emmanuel Sa. annot. in Act. 2. 1. Baronius Tom. 1. ex Nazianzen.
The 5. Look for the confirmation thereof. Sect. 58. 59.
The 6. Look for this, Sect▪ 64.
The 7. Look for this alſo: Sect. 60. 61.
The 8. Look for this, Sect. 59. 55. 54. 60. 64.
The 9. For this look Sect. 15. 20. 63. 62.
The 10. Is prooued Sect. 15. 20. 34. 52.
The 11. and 12. Is confirmed by palpable experience: and apprehended by him that eyther hath an eye, or winketh not: Look for theſe, Sect. 65. and the fowre laſt Sections alſo.
To the Chriſtian Reader.
MAny matters (Chriſtian Reader) called into queſtion at this day, are offered to the viewe of the World; and not a fewe of them very friuolous and vnprofitable: but there are alſo matters which doubtleſſe cannot bee denied to bee of ſingular importance for the furtheraunce of our moſt holy faith and true Religion. And amongst the waightieſt of theſe, there is almoſt none of greater vſe nor of more neceſsity to be vnderſtood, nor being vnderſtood to bee more carefully obſerued then this which hereafter enſueth touching the nature and quality of the Lords day commonly called Sunday or the Chriſtian Sabbaoth. Concerning which, there are diuerſe, who (not by reaſon of any difficulty in this controuerſie, but) being led with the variable conceit of their owne vnſettled minds, do think diuerſly: and many ſuch there are who doe ſpeake and wright thereof ſo looſely, yea ſo profanely, that if their opinions were imbraced among men, there could nothing but Atheiſme and irreligious behauiour growe vp thereby and abound. Sundry of theſe points this Treatiſe following doth with great diligence lay open vntounto thy conſideration; and withall ſetteth downe plentifully a true and right reſolution of this matter. Namely, that the firſt Day of the weeke (called Sunday, as before ſayd) is in a peculiar regard, the Lords day, and ſanctified to the performing of the ſolemne worſhip of GOD, vponupon the grounds of Gods Morall or perpetuall lawe in the fourth Commaundement of the Decalogue; And by the ſpeciall will of Christ eſtabliſhing it through his Apoſtles practice & doctrine to the ſame purpoſe, inſtead of the Iewes Sabbaoth. Which Aſſertion certainly, if it were well receiued and belieued, would make very effectually to the great increaſe of godlineſſe, and to the cutting downe of much ſinne and impiety; which euen by meanes of the ignorance and neglect hereof doth eueryevery where ouerflowe. The Lord in his good time will diſpell the errors and vanities of vngodly men, and wil aduance in greater bewtie the kingdome of his ſonne Chriſt, by diſſoluing the works of Satan, and treading vnderunder foote all his malice. In the meane while, it behooueth the ſeruants of God to be vigilant (and nothing ſlacke) in ſhewing forth the wiſdome of Serpents, aſwell as the ſimplicitie of Doues: That they being wiſe in the truth, may cauſe the ſame to ſhine among others in theſe euill dayes; and yet withall in their innocencie may find fauour not with God alone, but alſo with men. Reade, trie and holde faſte that which is good: and the Lord giuegive thee vnderſtanding in all things. Farewel.