A Defense of the Sabbath Day, Chapter 2 · Commentary · Section 1 – Section 2
SECT. I.
IN the former Chapter, to the end that vve might vindicate the Lords Sabbaths, vve hauehave defended the Morall Lavv, againſt Anabaptiſts and Antinomians: and novv in this, and the follovving Chapters of this Booke, for the ſame end, namely to vindicate the Lords Sabbaths, vve vvil defend the Integrity and perfection of the Morall Lavv, againſt Proteſtants and Papiſtes: for Anabaptiſts and Antinomians deny the whole lavv; Proteſtants and Papiſtes deny the vvholneſſe of the lavv: they, vvill yeeld no obedience at all to the Lavv; theſe, vvil yeeld obedience but by halues: and of this number are thoſe ten Miniſters, my profeſſed enemies in this point, who in ſpeciall ſorte, I doe oppoſe, by name Mr. Grenewod, Mr. Benton, Mr. Hutchinſon, Mr. Furnace, Mr. Gallard, Mr. Yates, Mr. Chappell, Mr. Stinnet, M. Iohnſon, and Mr. Ward, dvvelling in and aboute Norvvich.
As for Papiſtes, tell them of their ſinne of Idolatry in vvorſhiping of Images, &c. againſt the ſecond Commandement of this Law, and among other anſwers this vvil be one, that the ſecond Command, is Ceremoniall, and pertaineth to the Iewes only: tell them againe of their ſinne of Sabbath-breaking, that they profane Gods ancient Sabbath, againſt the fourth Comm. of this Lavv, and this ſhall be their anſvver, that the fourth Comm. is partly Ceremoniall, and that the old Sabbathday is Iewiſh, and pertaineth to the Ievves only: As for Proteſtantes, vve tread in their ſteppes vp and dovvne, ſaue that vve are not ſo impudently audacious as they: for vve acknovvledge the ſecond Comm. for Morall; but come vntounto the fourth Comm. and here vve iumpe vvith them, ſaying the fourth Comm. is partly Morall partly Ceremoniall, and the old Sabbath enioyned in the fourth Com. is Ievviſh, &c. In reſpect therefore of Gods Sabbathes, vvhichwhich both they and vve deny, vvee yeeld obedience to Gods Lavv but by halues: and ſaying the fourth Comm. is partly Ceremoniall, thereby vve are partiall in Gods Lavv: againſt therefore this partiall dealing vvith God, in his Lavves and ordinances, ſhall the following partes of this booke be ſpent.
SECT. II.
The thing vvhichwhich Almightie God intendeth generally in this Com. is hovv all the time and dayes of our liues, ſhould be ſpent and imployed in his ſeruice: the vvhichwhich, is backed vvith an effectuall reaſon (for my purpoſe is firſt to handle the commandement generally, as in this ſecond Section: and then more particularly, as in the thirth Section, &c.) As for the time, we hauehave a diſtribution of it in the comm. and that into the Sixe dayes, and into the ſeuenth day: touching both of theſe, God hath ordered it, in this comm. hovv he vvould be ſerued; to vvit, on the ſeuenth day, by Sanctifying and Hallovving of it, in the partes of his vvorſhip and ſeruice, and a ceſſation from all ſeruile vvorkes; on the ſixt dayes, by following ſome lavvfull calling or other, vvich may redovvnd to the glorie of God; according to that, 1 Cor. 10.31. Whither therefore, ye eate, or drinke, or whatſoeuer yee doe, doe all to the glory of God. As for the reaſon, it is a liuely & mouing one, it being fetched from God him ſelfe, and from his owne enſample.
In this reaſon, conteined in Exod. 20.11. vve hauehave alſo a diſtribution of time, in to the ſixe dayes, and into the ſeuenth day; vvherein it pleaſeth God, to declare vntounto vsus, hovv he ſpent and imployed his time, to vvit, the firſt vveeke, or ſeuenth dayes, that euer the vvorld ſavv or heard of: the ſixe dayes, that is thoſe ſixe dayes, vvhichwhich for order of number, & order of nature, vvent immediatly before the firſt ſeuenth day, or firſt Saturday that euer vvas; theſe God ſpent in vvorking and in making the heauens and the earth, and all the hoſte of them. This God hath reuealed vntounto vsus, vntounto this end for one, that vve ſhould in imitation of him, make choyſe of thoſe ſame ſixe dayes vvherin God vvrought, that in them and none other, vve ſhould vvorke as God vvrought and in them, vve ſhould finiſh all our vvorkes, as God in them finiſhed all his vvorkes. The ſeuenth day, that is, the ſeuenth day from the Creation, or the firſt Saturday that euer vvas, this day God ſpent in an holy ceſſation and reſting, from the vvorkes of creation; and therefore this time, this day, aboue and before all other times & dayes, God bleſſed & ſanctified: and this hath reuealed vntounto vsus, to this end and purpoſe, that we ſhould in an holy imitation of God, ceaſe from the workes of the ſixe dayes before, and reſt from all ſeruil labour; and that we ſhold make choiſe of this very day, to Sanctifie it and to hallow it like as God bleſſed it, and hallovved it.
Novv that we are not left to our liberty, in this imployment of the time and dayes of our liefe appeareth here by, firſt becauſe God hath commanded it: and ſecondly, God hath backed his commandement, by a ſtrong & forcible reaſon, dravvne from his owne enſample; that we ſhold ſo imploy the dayes of the weeke, as God him ſelfe at the Creation imployed them; and this is noted by that rationall particle (for) Exod. 20.11. And this is that which God aimeth at in this com. generally namely, that we ſhold ſpend and imploy eueryevery day, and all the dayes of the weeke, after the enſample of God; or as God himſelfe ſpent them.
The thing which Almightie God intendeth in this com. ſpecially and principally, is the hallowing of that ſacred time and day, called the Sabbath day, and the Seuenth day, as in the third Comm. God inioyned the hallowing of his Sacred Name, ſo in this fourth com. God inioyned the hallowing of his Sacred day, to wit, the ſeuenth day, the which him ſelfe had made holy, aboue all dayes, by his bleſſing of it, and Sanctifying of it, as we reade, Geneſ. 2.3. like as the king might ſay to his ſubiectes, Remember my Coronation day, to keepe it an holy day; or Remember the Gunpowder Treaſon day, to Keepe it an holy day; ſo ſaith the king of kings, Remember the Sabbath day, to keepe it holy, Exod. 20.8.
Secondly, the Sanctification of this day, it is inioyned, both affirmatiuely, and negatiuely; affirmatiuely, in theſe words, Remember the Sabbath day, to Sanctifie it: Negatiuely, in theſe words, In it, thou ſholt not doe any worke: the affirmatiue parte of the precept, requireth ſanctity, and the parformance of holy duties; the Negatiue parte of the precept, requireth a reſting from laboures in our ordenary callings, which hinder and thruſt out thoſe holy duties.
Thirdly, the Lord God inioyneth vsus in this comm. tvvo things; the one is the duety of the day; the other is the dueties of reſt from labours, and the perfermance of ſondry the parts of Gods worſhip and ſeruice, in the day.
I call it the duety of the day, becauſe we are no leſſe bound in duety to God, to that day, then to the dueties of reſt and holineſſe in the day; or, we are no leſſe bound, to performe the dueties of reſt and holineſſe on that day, then we are tyed to performe the dueties of reſt and holineſſe them ſelues. I cleere the point by theſe examples, as in a bond you hauehave two eſſentiall parts; the one, is the ſome of mony to be paied; the other is the day and time when it is to be paied; and a man is equally and alike bound to both of theſe; that is, as well to the day, as to the ſome of mony; as appeareth by this, that al though a man bring the full ſome of mony, yet if he omit the day, and come the day after, his bond is forfeited. And as in circumciſion, there was two things inioyned, the one was the cutting off of the foreskine, the other was the time and day when it was to be done, namely vponupon the 8th. day, Geneſ. 17.12. and as in that other Sacrament of the paſſouer, there was tvvo things commanded, the one vvas the ſlaying and eating of the paſſouer lamb, the other was the time and day when to bedone, namely vponupon the 14th. day of the monethmonth, Exod. 12.6.8. in both which Sacraments of circumciſion and paſſouer, the day & time was no leſſe a duety, then were the actions to be performed in thoſe times and dayes: for it was death to omit thes dayes, Geneſ. 17.14. Numb. 9.13. Iuſt ſo, in this fourth com. God inioyneth vsus expreſly two things, as eſſential parts of this comm. the one, is the duety of the day, in theſe words Remember the Sabbath day, Exod. 20.8. and, the ſeuenth day, is the Sabbath, verſ. 10. the other is the dueties in the day, in theſe words, To keepe it holy, verſ. 8. and, in it thou ſhalt not doe any vvorke, verſ. 10. and here the time and day as you ſee, is no leſſe commanded, and that both affirmatiuely and negatiuely, then are the dueties in the day.
The thing vvhichwhich Almightie God intendeth in this com. leſſe principally, is the duety of labouring ſixe dayes, ſeruing God in ſome honeſt calling; for which God hath giuen a commandement alſo ſaying, Sixe dayes ſhalt thou labour, and doe all thy worke. Now this commandement (as I conceiue it) is ſubordinate to the former, made for the Sanctification of the Sabbath day; and made to backe it and to ſupport it: for becauſe God wold hauehave his people, to Sanctify his Sabbath day, and to reſt therin from labours, that ſo a vacancy may be for holy dueties, therefore hath God added an other precept, commanding vsus, to doe all the workes we hauehave to doe, with in the compaſſe of the ſixe dayes, that ſo no worke may be left to doe in the ſeuenth day Sabbath: So then, theſe tvvo Commandements, to wit, to Sanctify the ſeuenth day, and to labour in the Sixe dayes, may well goe in accompt but for one, and be both called the fourth Comm. becauſe they tend both to one thing, that is, to the ſanctification of the ſeuenth day Sabbath, a like caſe you hauehave in the 10th. command. in which are many commandements, but becauſe they agree all in this one, of coueting, therefore are they all counted but for one.
Thus much be ſpoken, touching the generall ſuruey, of the ſeuerales and particulares, conteined in the fourth com. In which paſſages, for matter of vſe, we may note firſt: what manner of computation of time God maketh, when he ſpeaketh of his Morall Sabbathes: this may eaſily be gathered out of this fourth com. for heere God diuideth all the dayes of the world into ſeauenes; or weeks; as thus, Sixe dayes thou ſhalt labour, but the ſeuenth day, is the Sabbath: and againe, In Sixe dayes, the Lord made heauen and earth, &c. and reſted the ſeuenth day, &c: And this account hath bene Kept in the Church, all along from age to age, both in the times of the Old Teſtament, and of the New Teſtament; ſee Geneſ. 1.31. with Geneſ. 2.2. ſee Exod. 16.22.23.26. Exod. 20.9.10. Mark. 16.1.2. Act. 20.7. Luk. 13.14. Yet further, becauſe we are to be imitatores of God, in this poinct; it is needfull that vve diligently Marke which are thoſe dayes, the which in Gods account, doe make vp a weeke; or which of all the dayes in the yeere, are thoſe dayes, which belong vntounto this or that Number of Gods ſeauen: the which if it be not well obſerued, vve may make a confuſion of the account of Gods weeks and ſeauens; and vvhereas he ſaith, ſix dayes thou ſhalt labour; if this be not obſerued, vve may ſo rekon our ſix dayes, as vve may count the day peculiarly appointed for the Sabbath day, for one of our ſixe dayes, and ſo make it a vvorking day, quit againſt the mind of God, and manie drifte and ſcope of his fourth comm. yea, if we hauehave no certaine rule, where to begine our accompt, then may we skipp ouer as many dayes as vve pleaſe, before vve begine to rekon our ſixe dayes, and ſo God ſhall hauehave a Sabbath or ſeuenth day, but once a monethmonth, or once a quarter, or once a yeere; it is very needfull therefore that we learne this point of God, to knovv vvhichwhich day he counted for the firſt day of the weeke, and vvhichwhich for the ſeuenth day of the vveeke, that ſo vve may knovv, which are thoſe dayes vvherein vve muſt labour; and which for certaine is that day, in which muſt reſt from labour: leaſt the ignorant doe miſtak one for an other; and leaſt the Cuning Sophiſters of our times, doe bequile the ſimple.
In this point we may be inſtructed, from the reaſon in the fourth comm. Exod. 20.11. For in ſix dayes the Lord made heauen and earth &c. and reſted the ſeuenth day; if now you will know which dayes in the monethmonth or yeere thoſe were, which here God called the ſix dayes, and the ſeuenth day; looke but into the hiſtory of the Creation of heauen and earth, whereof God ſpeaketh in this reaſon, and there you ſhall be ſatisfied, ſee Gen. 1. That day, God counted for the firſt day of the weeke, or of the ſeauen, wherein he created the light v. 4.5. and which was the firſt day that euer was; this day is our Sunday, or Lords day, and called conſtantly by all the Euangeliſts, and ſo by all Churches to this day, the firſt day of the weeke, it being the firſt day of the worlds creation, ſee Matt. 28.1. Mark. 16.2. Luk. 24.1. Ioh. 20.1. Act. 20.7. That day God counted for the ſecond day of the weeke, or of the ſeauen, wherein he made the firmament, v. 7.8. and this was the ſecond day that euer was, this day is our Monday: That day, God called the third day of the weeke, or of the ſeauen dayes, wherein he made the Earth to appeare, and the Seas, v. 10.13. and this vvas the third day from the Creation: and this day is our Tewſday: That day God called the fourth day of the weeke, wherein he made the Sunne, Moone and Starres, v. 16.19. and this vvas the fourth day from the creation, and this day is our Wedneſday. That day wherein God made the fiſhe in the Sea, and the foule in the ayre, he called the fifth day, v. 21.23. and that day, is our Thurſday. That day God called the ſixt day of the weeke, vvherein he made man, v. 26.31. and this was the ſixth day from the creation, and this day is our Friday. And that day God called and counted the ſeuenth day of the vveeke, wherein he reſted from the vvorks of Creation, and which he bleſſed & ſanctified, Gen. 2.1.2.3. & this day is our ſaturday.
Forſomuh then as vve hauehave found out, vvhichwhich are thoſe dayes, which in the fourth comm. God called the ſix dayes, and which day he called the ſeuenth day, it teacheth all miniſtres, in expounding this fourth com. to ſpeake as God ſpake; and to call & count vntounto the people, the dayes of the weeke, by thoſe numerall names, vvhichwhich God hath put vponupon them: and therefore they muſt call our Sunday or Lords day, the firſt day, and our Saturday, the Seuenth day. And alſo, as touching practiſe, that they exhorte and perſwade the people to be imitatours of God, labouring on the firſt ſix dayes of the worlds creation, and reſting for the Sabbath day, on the ſeuenth day from the creation, vvhichwhich is Saturday; becauſe God himſelfe did ſo, for in ſix dayes the Lord made heauen and earth, and reſted the ſeuenth day, vvhichwhich is our Saturday, Exo. 20.11. It is as you ſee, the very reaſon and preſident, vvhichwhich God himſelfe hath ſet before our eyes; and if vve like to doe as God did, and to treade in his ſteppes, then muſt vve ſpeake as God ſpake, in our account, and doe as God did, in our practiſe; This is that which Muſculus hath, in his expoſition vponupon the fourth comm. fol. 66. The imitation of the example of God (ſaith hee) ſtandeth in this, that in the ſame ſix dayes, in which God wrought all his workes, we worke ours: and in the ſeuenth day, when hee reſted from his, we doe reſt alſo from our works, according to his example. It is to be noted, that hee ſaith, that our imitation of God ſtandeth in this, that we vvorke on the ſame ſix dayes, in which God vvrought: and that we Reſt, on the ſame ſeuenth day, in vvhichwhich God himſelfe reſted. This is the true expoſition of this fourth comm.
Here then is diſcouered the errour of many, vvho thus pleade for themſelues; Doe not vve according to the Commandement, vvorke ſix dayes, & reſt the ſeuenth day? this is a trueth they ſay indeed, but it is not Gods trueth, they labour ſix dayes indeed, but they labour not on thoſe ſame ſix dayes, which God ſpake of, and which God ſet them a ſample of in his ovvne perſon: nay they profanely labour vponupon that day for one, vvhichwhich God ſet them a patterne to reſt on, and that is vponupon the Saturday. Tis true as they ſay alſo, they reſt the ſeuenth day, but not on that ſeuenth day, vvhichwhich God counted for the ſeuenth day; but on that ſeuenth day, vvhichwhich God euer counted for the firſt day of the weeke, vvhichwhich is our Sunday. Novv no maruaile God ſet himſelfe out for our patterne, that vve ſhold imitate him; ſee hovv nere vve follovv him; on our Saturday God reſted from vvorke, and ſanctified it, and vve in imitation of him, vvorke on that day, and profane it: againe, on our Sunday, God vvrought, as vponupon the firſt of his ſix working dayes; and vve in imitation of God, doe ceaſe from vvorke, and ſanctify it: thus vvhen God reſt, vve vvorke; and vvhen hee vvorketh, then vve reſt: is this to imitate God? or can vve oppoſe, and thvvart him more? and yet theſe men vvold thinke vve doe them vvrong, to ſay they doe not imitate God, but rather mocke God; pretending indeed, to imitate him, according to his fourth comm. vvhen in very trueth, vve cold not deuiſe on the ſuddaine, hovv to thvvart and croſſe Gods example more then vve doe.
Now vvhence comes this erronious practiſe amōg the people, but from the erronious doctrine of ſome Miniſters, vvho beſides other errours, touching the Sabbath, doe falſly expound the fourth command. to the people, by nicknaming of dayes, as if the ſix dayes mentioned in the Comm. might be vnderſtood of other ſix dayes, then God euer ſpake of, or vvrought in; or then the Church for thouſands of yeeres vnderſtood the fourth comm. to ſpeake of; and as if the ſeuenth day, might be attributed to ſome other day, then the ſeuenth day from the creation, vvherein God reſted: and for this purpoſe they hauehave inuented a diſtinction of a ſeuenth day, and the ſeuenth day, making the ignorant people beleeue, that the fourth com. ſpeaketh not of the ſeuenth day, but of a ſeuenth day, that is of any day of the ſeuen: whereby God is plainly defeated of his purpoſe: which vvas to hauehave that one ſeuenth day, ſanctified, vvhichwhich he had therefore bleſſed and ſanctified; and which himſelfe reſted on, and left vsus for a patterne; and hereby an other day is foiſted in, and intruded into its roome. This idle diſtinction, giues vsus to learne novv, that there is a firſt day of the vveeke, and the firſt day of the vveeke: that there is a Lords day, and the Lords day: and that there might hauehave beene in the Church of the Iewes, had they beene ſo skillfull as vve are become, a eigth day, for circumciſion, and the eigth day: and a fourteenth day of the monethmonth for the paſſouer, and the fourteenth day: and theſe vnderſtood, not of one and the ſame day, but of diuers dayes: and vvhy not all theſe as vvell as a ſeuenth day & the ſeuenth day? and if they pleaſe too, vve may hauehave a Chriſt, and the Chriſt: a Mathevv, and the Mathevv: a Iohn, and the Iohn: a Paul, and the Paul: and ſometimes theſe ſhall be expounded in one of theſe ſenſes, and aftervvard, at an other time, in the other of theſe ſenſes. Diſtinctions they be, more fit for children, then for men of yeeres; for Ieſuites, then Proteſtants; for Iuglers, then honeſt meaning men.
A ſecond thing out of our generall ſuruey of the partes of this com. is that vve hauehave proued, that the time and day, ſpecified in the fourth com. is no leſſe commanded by God, then the dueties of reſt and holineſſe: which being ſo, here cometh to be reproued an other errour of our Miniſters: they vſe to Anſwer it thus, vvhen the duety of the very day and time is vrged vponupon them: oh ſay they, the time, thats but an adiunct, but an accident, but a circumſtance; and tis not the circumſtance ſo much vvhichwhich God lookes at, but it is the ſubſtance which God regardeth: novv ſee, hovv theſe men hauehave learned an arte to extenuate Gods commandements, by calling them lightly and regardleſly, but an accident, but a circumſtance: who could thinke that Miniſters, yea Puritane Miniſters, vvho ſhold back Gods commandements, and reuerence the things commanded, ſhold but at them; and as it were puſh at them vvith a but, ſaying tis but a circumſtance, &c? is not this a contempt offered to the Holy one of Iſrael, thus to ſleight him in his ordinance? durſt euer the Church of the Ievves, thus but at the eigth day, appointed of God for circumciſion, ſaying the ſtrict day is but time, but a circumſtance, what if we neglect it, and circumciſe on the nineth day, the day after? it is the Subſtance, of cutting off the foreskine, which God lookes at: & might they then hauehave thus ſleighted the time ordeined of God for the paſſouer, to be eaten on the 14th. day of the monethmonth, by ſaying the preciſe time, was but a circumſtance, and ſo be we eate the paſſouer, it matters not, if we eate it on the 15th. or 16th. day of the monethmonth? were any of vsus, bound in a bond, to paie vntounto his Maieſtie, a certaine ſome of mony, vponupon the ſeuenth day of May, durſt we aduenture it, to ſleyght the preciſe day of payment, vponupon this idle pretenſe, that the day and time in the bond, it is but an adiunct, but a circumſtance: all will be well enough therefore if I tender the ſome of mony vponupon the eigth day or ninth day of May? vvere this but a common bond betwixt ſubiect and ſubiect: ſure I am no Lawyer, no Iudge, no nor any common man. but vvold ſay this were a plaine forfeiture of the bond; and that the debitor his calling the time but a circumſtance, vvas but a pore ſhifte; this vvere a ſilly plea before the Iudg of Aſſiſes, to ſay the time my Lord, it was but a circumſtance, &c. well hovv euer men dare not dally thus before an earthly Iudge and with an earthly king, yet men dare palter thus with the king of kings: were a man ſummoned to appeare at a day apponinted, but in an inferiour courte, who durſt ſleight that day? They are only Gods dayes, and Gods times then, that may beſleighted: this bewraies that God is not reuerenced as is a mortall king or Iudg, men dare not ſleight the preciſe day of appearance in the Courtes of men; but men dare ſleight the preciſe day of appearance before the Lord chiefe Iuſtice of heauen & earth, in the Courtes of his fanctuary: nor are men ſo afraid to make a forfeiture of the bond of Gods fourth comm. by neglect of the day, as they are a fraid to forfeite abond of 10. or 20. to a man by neglect of the day. Thus much for the time and day, in generall, we ſhall hereafter come to the particularity of the time, to ſhew how more ſpecially what day it is which God requireth.