The Doctrine of the Sabbath, Chapter 21
CHAP. 21.
HOwsoeu…r all worldlie workes and labours are forbidden, and rest From them all is commanded in the law, yet the equitie of the law permits some labours and exercises, and in some cases allowes such bodilie workes, as are ordinarilie vnlawfull to be done on the Lordes holie Sabbath daie. First of all it is lawfull for Ministers and preachers of Gods word to doe some painfull and laborious workes upon the Lords daie, even all such as are necessarie for the better sanctification of the daie, and for the edification of the people and flock in publick.
Though they are not allowed to neglect their studies on the six daies, but are bound to read, study, meditate, & for help of their memories to write downe the heads, points, and proofes of their Doctrine; before the day of assembly? Yet because few or none are so perfect, as to preach publick with good order, Method and readinesse of speach and memorie, that which they hauehave studied, without searching, and reading ouer the testimonies of Scripture which they hauehave collected and studied, & noting down & writing some which come new & fresh to their mind, & serious meditating upon that which they are to speak, for better imprinting of it in their mem…ries. Therefore their is a necessity laid on them to labour in this kinde on the Lords Sabbath. A…d though it be a great labour of the body to stand up & preach in the congregation, with intention of the voyce & earnestnes of affection, & doth more spend the spirits, & strength of the body, & makes drops of sweat run downe the face more abundantly then the tilling of the ground: Yet the matter in which they deale is holy & all their worke is religious, & their labour tends to an holy & supernatural end, & is necessary for a ful sanctification of the day: therf…re it is not only allowed, but also required & commandement by the law of God. If any doth make a doubt or question of this truth we hauehave very strong proofe thereof in the holy Scriptures.
Th… first Argument is drawne from the hard bodily labours & artificiall practises of the Preists which they vver… by the law bound to performe in their double sacrifices & offerings on the Sab: day in the old Testament, they were bound to flealambs & to dresse & wash the flesh & the intrals, & to offer them up in sacrifices on the Altar, thy were bound to lay them upon wood on the Altar, to kindle the fire & burne the fat, & some part of the flesh also they were to take a tenth deale of flower to mingle it with oyle, & to make the drinke offering thereof also, & to offer all to God as we read, Num. 28.9. Now if God by his law allowed & commanded such bodily works on the Sab: day, because they were needfull for sacrifices, & Circumcision which were but a ceremoniall & tipicall seruice of the Lord, which he in his temple required by a ceremoniall law for the sanctification of the Sab. Then much more doth Gods law allow & cōmand his publike ministers, to labour & sweat & spend their bodily strength & spirits in preaching his word in the holy Christian assemblies, where Christ who is greater then the temple is present by his spirit in many of his members who are so many temples of the Holy Ghost and of God.
The second argument is drawne from the practise and example of Christ and his Apostles. For as the Priests and learned scribes did of old read and expound the law and the Prophets in all their sinagogues every sabbath day. And our Saviour approued this by joyning with them in some practise, preaching & teaching in their sinagogues in great throngs & assemblies of people, which thronged after him & undoubtedly made him sweate as appeares. Mat. 4.13. & Iohn. 5.10. So also the holy Apostles did on the first day of the week the Lords day, labour in the word as we see by the example of St. Paul, who at Troas continued his Preaching till midnight, because he was to depart the next daye. Act. 20.7. Now what they did performe as a duty taught by the law and moued by the spirit of God. Jn that all their faithfull successoures are bound to immitate them. Therefore the laboures and paines of Ministers and preachers are allowed on the Lords day, being holy and religious workes, and fittest of all for the holy day and holy place.
A second sort of workes alowed to be done on the Lords day: are bodily workes and laboures which are soe necessary for the fitting and enabling of Christians to sanctifie that day, and for bringing them vntounto holy and publick assemblies and places of prayer and of Gods worship and holy service, that wit…out such working and labouring even on that day they neither can be so fit and able to serue God joyfully, and to worshippe him with cheerefull hearts, neither can they as the present case stands, come unto holy Sabbath assemblies, to heare the word, to pray and to worship in publick. As for example, in places of restreant, and of trouble and persecution where publicke Sabbath assemblies of true Christians are not tollerated, but in Churches which are remote diuers miles, and in barren countries where the Churches are foure or fiue miles distant from some houses and vilages in the parrish, men may lawfully …rauell on foote and ride one horses, or make their horses labour in drawing them to the Church in Coaches. And because men cannot be soe Cheerfull in the seruice of God, nor soe hartily rejoyce before him, not with strength and delight spend the whole day in Sabbath duties, wit…out warme and wholesome food, and plentifull refreshing of their weake bodies. therefore the dressing boyling baking and rosting of meate is lawfull on the Lords day, soe farre as it more helps then hinders holy duties and the service of God. This is manifest by the words of the law, Exod. 12.16. where the Lord forbidding all manner of worke on his holy Sabbaths, excepts labour and worke about that which people were to eate, and which was necessary for the upholding of an holy moderate feasting on those daies. This was practised by the Ph…rises and by our Saviour and his Apostles who on the Sabbath day came to a feast to the house of a chiefe Pharise, Luk. 14.1.2. Also the speech of the Shanamite to his wife 2 King. 4.23: doth import, that for the solemn observation of the Sabbath they were wont to ride and travell to the Prophets and to places where they might worship God; and be instructed in the knowledge of his will and worship.
For when shee desi…d an asse to ride on, and a young man to attend her unto Carmell where Elisha …he man of God was. Wherefore wilt thou (saith he) got to him to day seeing it is neither New Moon nor sabbath? But here let me giuegive a caution. That Christian people bee not too heedlesse setting their inhabitations in places Remote from the Church for some worldly commodities, when they may with a litle lesse conveniency dwell neere. And that they do not by vnnecessary feasting and superstitious dressing of meate, hinder, or wholy disable some of their fam…ly from keeping holy the Lords day a fault to common in our daies.
Thirdly, all works & actions of bodily labour which are works of mercy and of Charity which cannot without convenience or danger be deferred, or which may be done without hindering of our soules in Gods publick worship, and to the great comfort of our brethren are lawfull and may be done on the Lords day. As for example, visiting of the si…k, and of them that are in prison, or in any great distresse, and applying and ministering comfort, and healing medicines to them: offering and gathering of collections for the Reliefe of poore Saints, labouring to set men at …nity, and to Reconcile jarring neighbours. These are holy pious workes as our Saviour shewes, and hee accounts such deeds when they come from a sincere heart as if they were don to himselfe, Mat 25.40: Yea he himselfe did commonly on the Sabbath day practise such deeds soe often as he found occasion as we read, Mat. 12. Luk. 6: Paul by inspiration of the spirit and by Commandement from the Lord Christ doth ordaine, and appoint such vvorks to be done on the Lords day: 2 Cor. 16.1:2. And from the daies of the Apostles, all true Churches of Christ did practise such vvorkes of mercy, pietie, and Charity as Justine Martyr vvitnesseth, and divers others in alter ages. And such works the Ecclesiasticall constitutions of our English Church, commanded and commend on the Sundayes & holy daies of the Lord.
Fourthly, all bodily workes of great, and extreame necessity which concerne the life and safety of men, and of their cattell, the preseruation of necessary creatures, & other good things of good use, value and moment, serving for mans being and welbeing, may lawfully be done on the Lords day. As for example. 1. Fighting for our liues and for the safety of our country or city against enimies which invade us, and set upon us, and taking advantage if God doth offer it to us on the Lords day, as Ioshua did at Jerico in compassing the City by Gods appointm…nt, and (by circumstances it is probable) taking it on the seventh day and offering a bloudy sacrifice in fire to God, as a Cherem, or Anathema, devoted and seperated to God, for the first fruites of the land of Canaan after they came to Jordan from which no man might without sacrilege detract any thing as Achan did and was cut off for it, Josh. 6. If Ioshua did compasse the Citty seven daies together, (as the text saith) then one of the seventh must needs be the Sabbath, & most likely the last of the seventh, wherein the Citty was taken and offered up in fire as a devote thing to God. God offering the occasion and giving the advantage by the ruine of all the walles about the Citty, did impose a necessity vponupon them to take and destroy the Cittie on that day, and this worke was dispensed with and approved by God, and so are all of the like kinde: (For necessity hath no law).
Secondly, by the same rule other works of necessity, as labour in quē ching fire, when mens houses are on fire, or the towne in danger, or in stopping of a breach when the sea, or some overflowing river breakes through the banks, and is readie to draw some part of the countrie; and to destroy men and beasts, and there is a necessi…y of Removing men & beasts, corn & other good creaturs that they be not be drowned & swallowed vp. And in a word wheresoever God brings men into that necessity, that they cannot be kept in welbeing without present help by some worke done on the Sabbath day, such workes are not forbidden on that day. Neither killing of sheep and oxen, nor dressing of them nor grinding corne nor baking bread to refresh an armye returned from battell and ready to faint without present sustenance, by dressing and preparing some part of the praey which they hauehave taken: Our Saviour in the Gospell proues this clearlie Mat. 12. Where by Davids example, who did take and eate the shew bread in his necessity he defends his Disciples & their act of plucking …ares of corn, rubbing and eating them on the Sab: & also alloweth leading of cattell to drink, & the drawing thē out of pits, & such like.
But because occasion is here offered to speak of all kinds of actions which are allowed to be don, & from which men are not bound to r…st wholy on the Lords day: It will be expected of some, that I should speak of actions and exercises of sport and recreation, whether men be altogether restrained from them, or whether any of them be lawfull to bee vsed on the Lords day: Now because I will not provoke nor exasperate any who seem of contrary judgment, especially men of great place & authority: I will propound my judgment which I conceiue to be agreable to Gods word, onelyonly ingenerall rules gathered out of the holy Scriptures, which all understanding Christians may easily apply to the particulars. 1. Jt is acknowledged by all godly learned divines: That nor creations or sports which feed and cherish mens corrupt & carnall affections are at any time lawfull, as Idle & Uaine jefting, wanton gestures, and daliance which increase lust and occasion wantonnesse, and therefore least of all to be tollerated on the Lords day: For this is seeking of our own pleasures & polluting the Lords holy day, which the Prophet Jsaiah condemnes Isa, 58. 2. Honest and lawfull sports and recreations, such as shoo…ing, wrastling and other games of actiuity, hunting, hawking, angling, and the like, though they be lawfull at other times: yet they are not to be tollerated on the Lords day in any measure if they be found to hinder men from publick worship & seruice of God, and publicke set duties of piety fit for the day, or to withdraw them from private duties requisit in Christian families, as prayer, reading, meditation, repetition, and examining of Doctrines by the Scripture which hauehave beene publickly preached and heard, private instructions, exhortations, and mutuall provocations to piety and to praising of God by singing Psalmes and the like: Whatsoever sports and recreations do hinder these, and withdraw people from them, they are on the Lords day impious and prophane how lawfull soever on other daies: In this point all Godly grave and learned Divines do agree. And how sinfull prophane and hatefull to God such sports are on the Lords day.
The Lord himselfe doth continually shew and declare by the many examples of dreadfull judgments and tokens of his wrath which hee hath shewed and doth still shew in this and in all ages for such doings, dorwning some in their swimming, breaking the backs, armes, legges and necks of other in their wrastling, stricking with horrible lamenesse and with dreadly surfers, and sudden death, leapers, dauncers, hunters, hawkers, riders, bowlers, and such like.
And let every man take heed that his own heart do not deceiue him, and that he doe not flatter himselfe in his follie, when it is manifest that such sports are a mans owne pleasures condemned by the Prophet, Isa. 58. And are seen and known daily to steale away mens hearts from holy duties, and to turne their affections from heavenly and spirituall things, wherein they ought chiefly to delight.
Thirdly, as men may not do the lawfull works of their calling, neither in providing meat, drinke, cloathes, or other necessaries on the Lords day, with a bare respect of naturall good and worldly profitt, because this is doing of his owne waies and workes, and not the worke of God. Unto which Gods holy day is wholy consecrated and set apart: Except onelyonly in case of necessity, when men and beasts cannot otherwise bee preserued in life, health and being, or when Gods people without such workes cannot be made fit, & able to serue God cheerfully as they ought on that day: So also no bodily sports, Recreations and pleasures are to be tolerated or used, merely to cherish the flesh, to refresh the body, and to procure bodily strength, but onelyonly such as are in verie deed needfull in themselves, and used and intended by Gods people with this purpose, and …o this end, that they may with more abilitie, alacrity, and cheerefulnesse do the holy workes, and performe the holie duties of Gods worship and service which are proper to the Lords holy day. First, this is manifest by the words of the Lord: Isa. 58.13. Where he requires of his people, that they turne away their feete from doing their owne pleasure on his holy day, and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, Honourable, and honour him, not doing their owne wayes, nor finding their owne pleasure. By their owne waies and pleasures, we are to understand, not onelyonly their corrupt sinfull workes, filthy words, and vaine carnall pleasures which proceed from nature corrupted and naturally tend to increase transgression, (for they are to be abhorred every daie and at all times,) but here by their owne waies, words, and pleasure we are to understand such as proceed from nature created good, and are onelyonly intended to that end, and hauehave none other effect: For such, though at other times lawfull and honest, Yet on Gods holy daie are prophane, common and inordinate, as these words imply.
Secondly, as it is not lawfull to use Gods holy word in jeasting, nor with it to mingle our owne vaine talke, nor to play with holy things, because this is taking of Gods name in vaine. Soe undoubtedly to use worldly delights, and to sport our selues with uanishing, earthly naturall and ciuill pleasures, which are neither usefull to helpe and further us in holy devotion, nor intended by us to that end, is a prophanation of Gods holy day, and an intermingling of our owne prophannesse with the spirituall, and heavenly obseruation of the Lords holie day, in which God requires serious sanctification, and graue and sober conversations as our own Ecclesiasticall Constitutions do affirme: the reason is the same in both.
Thirdly, in all other things consecrated by God himselfe, and by his word and commandement to holy and heavenly use, it hath alwayes beene counted a greevious offence to ad our owne naturall inventions and diuises to them, or to turne them to common civill and mere naturall use, either in whole or part, except in case of necessity. So undoutedly it is by the same reason a greevious offence willingly and purposly to imploy the Lords holy daie, or any part thereof to common naturall and civill sports and delights. Now the first is manifest by the word and law of God. Nahab, & Abihu, the sonnes of Aron, were consumed by fire from the Lord when they offered sacrifices with common fire Lev. 10. Because they added to the holy offering that which was common.
Alsoe the sonnes of Ely did sinne greeviously in turning any part of the consecrated flesh to feede their owne bellies 1 Sam. 2. Saul in turning Gods sacrifice to a prophane use, and forcing himselfe to doe it in ordinately, that he might make the people to stand to him, and keep them from scattering, sinned and lost his Kingdome. 1 Sam. 13. And when the Jewes prophaned Gods house of praier; which was the holie place, by buying, selling: and money chaunging, it was so vile in our Saviours eyes, and so wicked, that he who in other things was a meeke Lambe, being moved with zeale, did like a Lyon Roare against them, fell violentlie upon them and whipt them out with disgrace, Iohn. 2. Now the Lords Sabbath is an holie day sanctified by God immediatlie after the Creation, and commanded in the fourth Commandement to be kept holy. And our Sauiour by his Resurrection hath consecrated & blessed the Lords day aboue all other dayes of the weeke and made it the Lords Sabbath, more holie then the first as hauehave beene before abundantly proved. And as all true Christian Churches, so our Church more especiallie both by Doctrine and practise hath openlie approved this for the Lords Sabbath. Therefore no part of this day ought to be turned to nautrall, ciuill or carnall sports and delights.
Lastly, though our Churches the places of our holy assemblies, and our communion tables hauehave no particular expresse commandement for them from God, but onelyonly are consonant and agreable to the houses of God in Israel, and we hauehave no other warrant for them but the example of Gods people in the Old Testament, & our own experience, & reason teaching that they are very necessary for publick assemblies, and holie service: the plot of ground is chosen by men, and the materials and framing of them and the forme of them are all the workes of men. God hath neither appointed the place as in the temple of Ierusalem, nor the materials & the forme, as in the Tabernacle, the Arke & Altars which were built by Moses: Yet we would count a great offence, to turn any part of the Church to be a place for common sports, & plaies, or a dancing Schoole, and to play at dice, or Cards, or other profane games, vponupon the Communion Table. Now then seeing we count it unlawfull to profane the places consecrated to holy vse by men inimitation of God, and not by expresse commandement given for the separation of the ground or the place: We ought more to count it unlawfull to spend any part of Gods holy day in carnall sports, being a time sanctified by his expresse word, and blessed with the greatest blessing.
Fourthly, and in the last place, whatsoever recreations and exercises of body and mind, are necessary required for the bettering of our sanctification of the Lords day, & the enabling of us to perform with more cheerfulnesse strength and courage the holy worship of God, and the work and service of his holy Sabbath, and which are also intended by vsus onelyonly to that end and use them we may vse. And so farre as they serve to further, and in no wise to hinder Gods holy worship and the immediate works and duties thereof. This is manifest by Gods allowing to his people in the law, dressing of meat, & Cheerfull feasting on his Sab: and holy daies: Which are needfull to cheere up men, and to provoke them to worship him with all thankfulnesse of heart, also to put on our best apparell; that we may come decently to Gods house.
As these are lawfull being directed to holy use, so undoubtedly honest refreshing with recreations which cheer up the heart, & refresh the spirits, are lawfull when they are helpfull to holy exercises and are directed to that end, as stirring of the body; walking in to gardens or fields, to take fresh aire being found very helpefull to Preachers, to reviue their spirits▪ s…rengthen their loynes, cleare their voyces, sharpen and quicken their wits, and memories, and being done only to that end are lawfull.
So also walking into the corne feilds in …ommer o… harvest, or into meddowes or Pastures in the spring, both to refresh our Bodies & spirits, and to give vsus occasion to admire Gods bountie in clothing the bodies, and his Fatherlye providence in making the ear…h so fruitfull, and to laud and praise him, is lawfull for vsus. And if after publick & private exercise we doe soe walke about, diuers together conferring of heavenly things, & taking occasion by sight of earthly blessings to provoke one another to thankfulnesse, & acknowledgment of Gods louelove, this no doubt is a recreation fitt for the Lords day, and helps much our devotion, and this seemes to hauehave beene practised by our Saviour who went through the corne feilds on the Sabbath day Mat. 12.1. and his Disciples with them.