A Defense of the Sabbath Day, Chapter 3 · Commentary · Section 8 – Section 9
SECT. VIII.
A 3d texte they alleage & abuſe, in the nevv Teſtament, is Act. 20.7. vvhere they ſay is an example of the Lords day kept as a Sabbath day, by Paul, & the Church at Troas: for, Paul abode at Troas 7 dayes, & on the 7th day, it being the firſt day of the vveeke, then the Church aſſembled, & Paul preached; now thers no mention of any ſermon vponupon any of the other dayes, and therefore this vvas their Sabbath day. Yea, they had not onelyonly a ſermon on this day, but alſo the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, for the Diſciples came together to breake bread, as the Text ſaith: Wherefore this day muſt be a Sabbath day: This text M. Benton Miniſter, preſſed vponupon me very eagerly.
Herevnto I anſwer 1. if the Lords day, or firſt day of the weeke, vvere kept here by Paul for a Sabbath day, why did not Paul doe the like vponupon eueryevery Lords day, in all Churches where he came? and where he might if he vvould, hauehave done it? for this purpoſe ſee Act. 13.14.42.44. where mention is made, how Paul vvent into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day, to vvit, the 7th day Sabbath, at Antiochia, and there preached: Now ſermon being ended, the text ſaith, that the Gentiles beſought that they would preach theſe words to them, the next Sabbath day, & accordingly it vvas ſo done v. 44. Now it is to be noted, that theſe Gentiles vvere conuerted beleeuers, as the text bewraieth v. 42.43. and it is to be noted alſo, that this day being Saturday, on which they thus deſired Paul & Barnabas to preach vntounto them theſe words the next Sabbath day, that the next day after their petition, being Sunday, or Lords day, this was the Chriſtian Sabbath day, if any ſuch they had; and this was the proper Sabbath day, for theſe beleeuing Gentiles, if any ſuch there vvas: Wherefore 1. it ſeemeth that theſe beleeuing Gentiles vvere vtterly ignorant of any ſuch new Sabbath; for elſe they vvould hauehave deſired Paul & Barnabas to hauehave preached vntounto them, the next day, not the next Sabbath day; the next Lords day, not the next Sabbath day: for they being an hungry, & finding a ſharpe appetit to Pauls doctrine; vvould not hauehave faſted for it 7. or 8. dayes, vntill the next Sabbath day, but vvould rather hauehave bene fedde with it, on the next morrow, the day after, it being the Lords day, and appointed for ſermons, & Sabbath day: but in as much as they deſired it not on the Lords day, it argueth that theſe Chriſtians knew not of any ſuch new Sabbath, as now vve know & keepe on the Lords day. 2. Seeing it was the vviſedome of the Apoſtles, to acquaint the Churches vvith the new ordinances of Chriſt, vponupon the firſt opportunity; as vve ſee they baptiſed thoſe that vvere but newly conuerted Act. 2.41. Therefore we are to thinke, that if theſe beleeuing Gentiles, had neglected their duetie, or had not formerly bene taught, that the Lords day vvas their new Sabbath, yet now Paul & Barnabas, if the one forgat it, the other might minde it, they had a moſt fit opportunity to reueale to theſe beleeuing Gentiles, their new Sabbath day; they might hauehave taken a fit occation to hauehave anſwered their ſuite thus, vvhat, doe you deſire to heare the ſame doctrine againe, the next Sabbath day? Why you need not ſtay ſo long, thats 7 or 8 dayes hence, and thats Iudaiſme, & the Iewiſh Sabbath day &c. but to morrow, thats the Lords day, & that is your Sabbath day; ſeeing you are Chriſtians, aſſemble your ſelues together therefore to morrow, and then you ſhall heare the ſame words preached againe: ſo the Apoſtles had ſit occation to hauehave informed theſe Diſciples at Antioch, of their new Sabbath, if there had beene any; nay I cannot ſee, how with diſcharge of their function they could hauehave omitted ſuch an occation.
Beſides, as I ſaid, the Apoſtles might hauehave kept this Lords day, heere, if they vvould; for nothing hindered; foraſmuch as theſe Gentiles, were ſuiters vntounto the Apoſtles, to preach vntounto them; it was at the Apoſtles liberty, to appoint the day and time vvhen; and the ſooner the rather: if therfore, here vvas fit opportunity; & alſo, it was at the Apoſtles liberty, to appoint the Lords day to preach in, and to aſſemble the Church on that day, and yet for all this, did not appoint the Lords day, vvho can thinke that the Apoſtles, Paul and Barnabas eſteemed the Lords day, to be Sabbath day; and hereby it appeareth alſo, that Paul kept not this Lords day conſtantly, at all times, and in all places: which is an argument, that when Paul did preach, on the Lords day, as heere he did at Troas, Act. 20.7. that he kept it not for a Sabbath day; for then he vvould hauehave kept eueryevery Lords day, where euer he came, as well as this one at Troas. And this is my firſt anſwer.
2. I anſwer, whereas the Patrones of this new Sabbath take it for granted, that Pauls Sermon, and the Lords Supper, were actions performed on the Lords day, or firſt day of the weeke, this I deny them, & this they muſt proue: for it vvill be found, that both the ſermon, and the Lords Supper, were done in the night time, which is no parte of the day; and conſequently that theſe actions were not done on the Lords day. I confeſſe the Diſciples mett on the Lords day, or firſt day of the weeke, but it followeth not thence, that therfore Paul preached, & adminiſtred the Lords Supper, on this firſt day, vvherin they aſſembled: that this is no paradox, you ſhall ſee the Text giueth me light vntounto this anſwer; as for Pauls Sermon, that this vvas performed in the night time, after the Lords day vvas paſt; ſee the Text, which ſaith, there were many lightes in an vpper chamber, where they were aſſembled, v. 8. Ergo, it was in the night time that they vvere aſſembled; againe, the Text ſaith, that Paul continued his preaching vntounto midnight, v. 7. Wherefore it is manifeſt, that Pauls Sermon was in the night. Further as for the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, it vvas in thoſe dayes an euening or night vvorke, ſee Mark. 14.17.22. 1 Cor. 11.21. and Paul did not celebrate the Lords Supper, in all liklihood vntill midnight after his Sermon was finiſhed ſee Act. 20.11. ſo both the Sermon, and the Sacrament were performed in the night.
It is likly alſo, that the Diſciples here at Troas, aſſembled not in the morning, but in the latter end of the Lords day, about the ſhutting in of the day, for it is ſaid in the Text, that the Diſciples came together to breake bread, v. 7. that is, to receiue the Lords Supper; now foraſmuch as the Lords Supper, was an Euening or night worke, in thoſe dayes, as hath bene proued, it is to be thought, that when the Diſciples mett to eate the Lords Supper, that they mett not in the morning, or at breakfaſt time, to eate their Supper, but at Supper time, and at Euening time, at the end of the day. Againe, the text ſaieth, Paul continued his preaching vntill midnight. Now it is a moſt vnreaſonable thing to imagine, that Paul ſhould begine his ſermon, in the morning, about 8 of the clocke, & continue his preaching vntill midnight: it was neuer heard, that there ſhould be a ſermon made of ſixtene howres long: vvherefore it is the moſt likely, that Paul might begine his ſermon after Supper, about 9 or 10 a clocke at night, & ſo held on till midnight: There is no likely hood therefore, that Paul preached in the day time; much leſſe that he begane in the morning; vnleſſe you vvill abſurdly imagine, that the Diſciples mett at Breakefaſt time to goe to ſupper: and alſo, that Paul preached a ſermon of 16. howres long; vvhichwhich no Auditor could beare vvith patience & proffit.
Neither will that hinder this, in that the text ſaith, that the Diſciples mett on the firſt day of the vveeke v. 7. for, as a man may be ſaid to pay a ſumme of mony on ſuch a day, though he paye it not till a quarter of an howre before Sune ſet; ſo may they be ſaid, to mete on the firſt day, albeit it vvas not till the very laſt point of the day: Now I hold that the night is no parte of the day, as formerly I hauehave ſhowne in the expoſition of the 4th comm. nor is the night to be counted & rekoned, for any parte of the day goeing before it: ſo then, this text maketh nothing at all for the Lords day; all that they can hence collect, is no more but this, that vve are bound to keepe eueryevery 8th dayes night, or eueryevery Lords day night, for a Sabbath night: and that we muſt preach as Paul did, till midnight &c. Wherfore, if they will hauehave it that Pauls ſermon, & their aſſembling begane in the morning, let them proue it; for the text hath no ſuch thing in it.
I know they are redy to ſay, theſe were times of perſecution, and they could not meete, till night, for feare &c. but the text hath nothing of any perſecution now at Troas; and againe, ſince they mett to receiue the Lords Supper, there was no neede for them to meete in the day time or morning for that, the euening was ſoone enough: let them proue, that the Diſciples would hauehave mett ſooner, but for feare, if they can: and laſtly, had feare of perſecution hindred them, then would they not hauehave mett on the firſt day &c. in the day time, leaſt they ſhould be ſeene walking in the ſtreetes, & entring into the common houſe of aſſemblie; they then vvould rather hauehave mett, erly before day light, or late after the day vvas ſhut in, leaſt they ſhould be ſeene &c. but they aſſembled in the day time, & therefore no feare of perſecutors.
3. I anſvver, admit that they mett in the morning of the Lords day, & that the ſermon, & the Lords Supper, vvere adminiſtred in the day time; yet what makes this for a Sabbath? for, theſe are eueryevery dayes worke: preaching, is an eueryevery dayes worke, and Lords Supper is ſo too; for Chriſt did eate the Lords Supper on a Thurſday night: all that can be hence collected is no more but this, that the Lords day, is a Lecture day, like as Tewſdayes and Thurſdayes be in many places of the kingdome. Now thers great difference betwixt a Sabbath day, & a Lecture day.
Beſides, whereas they tell vsus, that this inſtance in Act. 20.7. is an example of a Sabbath day, they are much miſtaken; for this is but a Sermon example, it is not a Sabbath example: great difference there is betwixt a Sermon example, & a Sabbath example: for, to proue a Sabbath example, they muſt proue that theſe Diſciples did Reſt all day from morning to night; and then ſecondly, that they performed thoſe holy actions, in conſcience of the day, & of the 4th com. ſo then hitherto, they hauehave not proued, ſo much as any one Lords day, kept for a Sabbath day, in the Apoſtles times. OnelyOnly they hauehave groſly abuſed this portion of Scripture alſo, as they hauehave done the former, to make the holy Ghoſt ſay what he neuer thought: this abuſe of Scripture would be reformed, by ſuch as make conſcience.
4. I anſwer, vvhereas they plead that Paul tarried 7 dayes at Troas, & preached on the laſt day, it being the Lords day, and no mention of any ſermon but on the Lords day: if this will proue a Sabbath day, then hauehave I learned a way how to proue Saturday to be the Sabbath day, and that by the like arguing: for Paul tarried certaine dayes at Philippie, and preached on the Sabbath day, to wit, the Saturday Sabbath, and baptized Lydia & hir family on the ſame day, but no mention there is of any preaching on the Lords day, or an any other day, Act. 16.12.13.14.15. therefore Saturday muſt be the Sabbath day. 2. What though there be no mention that Paul preached in any of the 7 dayes, till this Lords day, doth it thereof follow, that he did not preach on any of thoſe dayes? Were not many things done, that were not mentioned? elſe the world could not cōteine the bookes &c. Yet it may be proued that Paul preached on the day before this firſt day, or Lords day, to wit, on the Saturday Sabbath; for S. Luke teſtifieth of S. Paul, that vvhere Paul came, it vvas his cuſtome to preach euer vponupon the Sabbath day, Paul as his manner was went in vntounto them, & iij Sabbath dayes diſputed with them Act. 17.2. Act. 18.4. And Paul who exhorted Timothie to preach the word in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon; himſelfe I truſt was not idle at Troas, all thoſe 6 dayes which went before the Lords day. But then they turne to quaeries, and why preached he on this day? and why is this day mentioned, and none of the other? Thus when they can goe no further, they fale to beging of queſtions of vsus; vvhen it is their part to proue it, vvhy this day rather then any other is mentioned; if any reaſon in it they can find, that vvill helpe them, let them produce it.
5. I anſwer, that this ſermon of Pauls, was occationall & extraordenary; and therefore no likelyhood that it was a Sabbath: neither is it likely, that this aſſembly at Troas, was a Sabbath aſſembly: for Sabbath aſſemblies are vvorkes of the day, not of day & night both. Suppoſe therefore, that the Church at Troas, aſſembled in the morning of the Lords day, and ſo held on their aſſemblie whilſt midnight; yea, all night alſo; for ſo much is plaine by the text Act. 20.7.11. and ſo they held ſociety a whole day, and a vvhole night alſo, 24. howres: is this to be deemed, an ordenary Sabbath day worke? if it be, then muſt our Congregations, aſſemble eueryevery vveeke on the Lords day morning, and ſo hold on vntill Moonday morning, or elſe we are not like our patterne here, the Church at Troas: ſee if theſe mens eyes be in their heads, who would draw this Lords day, and action of the Church at Troas, vntounto the erecting & inſtitution of an ordenary Sabbath: for, if this Text be our Preſident for our new Sabbath, then it is good reaſon, vve ſhould keepe our new Sabbath, as this text vvitneſſeth they kept it. Againe, as for Pauls ſermon; Sabbath ſermons, are workes of the day, not of day and night both: Now if Paul begane his ſermon in the morning, the Text ſaith, that he continued it vntounto midnight, v. 7. yea, that he had ſpoken a long while to the dawning of the day, v. 11. If this were a Sabbath ſermon, what a ſacke full of troubles were our new Sabbatharians in; for they muſt leaue their howre & ij howre ſermons, and make ſermons many howres long; yea, when they hauehave done preaching in the day time, they muſt too it againe, and preach in the night alſo, euen to midnight.
As this example at Troas, was extraordenary, ſo was it occationall; occationed by Pauls departure from them the next day: for he had tarried with them 7 dayes, and the next morning he was to take his iourney and departe from them, as the text ſpeaketh, v. 7.13. and neuer to ſee their faces any more, nor they euer to ſee his face any more, as the Text ſpeaketh v. 25. Now in all probability, the Church at Troas knowing this, reſolued herevpon to come & take their laſt ſight and farewell of him, & to receiue the Lords Supper at his hands before his departure; and this was likely to be the occation of their aſſemblie now on this Lords day; yea, ſo much may be collected out of the Text Act. 20.7. Now the Brethren being aſſembled, Paul could doe no leſſe, then giuegive them a ſermon at his departure: and this, he that tooke all occations to build vp & edifie the Church, tooke this occation to eſtabliſh theſe in the faith: and this, vponupon this or the like occations, he vvould hauehave done, vponupon any day of the weeke Sunday, Monday, or any other. Now what is this Preſident vntounto vsus, and to the erecting & inſtituting of Sermons on the Lords day as a Sabbath day? All that can be collected hence, is but this, that vponupon theſe or the like occations, people may be aſſembled together, & the Miniſter may preach a ſermon to them, and that theſe things may be done, on that day of the weeke wherein the occation falleth out, be it Lords day, Monday, Tewſday or any other; and all this to be done, not in conſcience of the time & day wherein they are done ſuperſtitiouſly, but in regard of the preſent occation onelyonly: but behold our Miniſters hauehave hence collected by their magnified cōſequences, that we muſt aſſemble together, eueryevery weeke for euer, vponupon the Lords day, be there occations or no occations to moue thereto, I meane extraordenary occations; and this muſt be done in conſcience of the very time & day, vvherein they vvill hauehave vsus aſſemble: how farre off are theſe departed from their Coppie and Preſident! Act. 20.7. they mett occationally, but we muſt meete occation or none; yea vvith a ſuperſtitiouſe reſpect of the time & day we meet in: for vve find not that theſe at Troas, made any conſcience of the day and time vvherein they mett: vnleſſe you vvill ſuppoſe that all Sunday night, or eueryevery Lords day night, is a ſanctified time for Sabbath dueties, and to be obſerued in conſcience. And vvhichwhich is vvorſt of all, this time, collected by their vaine conſequences out of this Text, vvherein they ſwerue from their Coppie, it muſt be preſſed vponupon mens conſciences, as a parte of Gods worſhip; & that in conſcience of it, men muſt neglect their callings, to their great damage, and that vponupon perill of ſinne, and paine of damnation: is it not high time, theſe things were reformed?
But happily it vvill be ſaid by Miniſters, that this is an example of the Apoſtle Paul, and of the Church of God at Troas, now examples bind conſcience, &c. Whereto I anſwer 1. this is no Sabbath example, it is but a Sermon example. 2. If examples bind the Church now, then muſt rich men ſell their houſe and land, and lay the mony downe at the Miniſters feete, for ſo did the Church, Act. 4.34.35. and if all examples of the Apoſtles bind conſcience, then are Miniſters of all men in an ill caſe; for they muſt not onelyonly ſtudy and preach painfully, but alſo muſt vvorke hard in ſome honeſt calling; for ſo did Paul, he laboured in his Trade of Tent making, Act. 18.3. they muſt not onelyonly preach on the Lords day, but alſo, they muſt preach till midnight, for ſo did Paul: they muſt not onelyonly preach in the Church, on the Lords day, but alſo from houſe to houſe in the vveeke dayes; for ſo did the Apoſtles, Act. 5.42. I but hereto they will reply, ſeing them ſelues in ſo ill a caſe, that theſe things were extraordenary, and peculiar to thoſe times, & therfore bind not vsus now whereto I anſwer, & can they ſee the extraordinarineſſe in theſe examples; and can they not ſee alſo the extraordinarineſſe of this example, of Pauls preaching at Troas? and the extraordenarineſſe of Peters Sermon, on Pentecoſt day, Act. 2.1. Where they pleaſe, they can ſee; & where they pleaſe, they can not ſee at all.
For concluſion, if they will proue their Lords day a Sabbath by this text Act. 20.7. let them remember that beſids other things, this is their taske 1. to proue, that the Church aſſembled in the morning of the Lords day. 2. They muſt proue, that the people did refraine all ſeruile labour, at Troas, all the Lords day long, from breake of day in the morning vntill night: for, they might aſſemble together at Church, on the Lords day morning, about nyne of the clocke, as vve doe on Lecture dayes; and yet come from their laboures alſo, as we doe on a Lecture day: they might meete in the Church by 9 of the clocke, and yet they might hauehave ſpent 3 or 4 howres, euen all the morning before in their ordenary callings; now foraſmuch as they hould that it is vnlawfull for vsus to ſpend the morning of the Lords day, in ſeruile labour; and becauſe it is a ſpeciall parte of a Sabbath dayes duety, to reſt from our laboures, as it is in the 4th com. therfore, they muſt proue vntounto vsus, that theſe Diſciples at Troas, did refraine their vvorkes, all the day long, the morning as vvell as the after noone. 3. They muſt remember to proue vntounto vsus, that thoſe holy dueties, vvhichwhich the Diſciples at Troas performed on the Lords day, they did them in conſcience of the 4th Comm. for, a people may heare a Sermon, in conſcience of that Com. of Pauls, preach the word. &c. in ſeaſon & out of ſeaſon, 2. Tim. 4.2. But this is not the 4th Comm. theſe are the maine things they ſhould ſpend their time in to proue; but of all the reſt, theſe 3 things, are neuer touched by them, thus the maine of all which ſhould be laboured in, is vtterly neglected; but vntill they proue theſe things, beleeue them that will for mee.
SECT. IX.
A 4th Text in the New Teſtament, which they alleage and abuſe, is Act. 1.2. where is mention made, that Chriſt after his reſurrection, whileſt he vvas on earth, gaue Commandements vntounto the Apoſtles, whom he had choſen. Now ſay they, albeit it be not ſpecified in particular vvhat Commandements, Chriſt gaue them, yet it is gatherable what they vvere, by the practiſe of the Apoſtles afterwards; now their practiſe was to keepe the Lords day for a Sabbath.
Here vntounto I anſwer 1. that whereas they pretend a practiſe of the Apoſtles in keeping the Lords day; they were ſo farr from a practiſe of it, as it cannot be ſhowne where any of the Apoſtles, kept two Lords dayes, in all their liues: now a ſingle action, is no practiſe. 2. I anſwer, admit that the Apoſtles kept the Lords day, yet I deny that it can be proued, that they kept it for a Sabbath day; for the vtmoſt that can be proued, is but that they kept it for a Lecture day; if that: that is, that they preached a Sermon ſometimes vponupon the Lords day: but a lecture day, is no Sabbath day. 3. I anſwer if the practiſe of the Apoſtles, after Chriſt his Aſcention, be a ſure note, that Chriſt whilſt he was vponupon the earth, gaue the Apoſtles a Commandement for that practiſe; then ſurely, Chriſt gaue the Apoſtles a Commandement to keepe the Saturday Sabbath: for, Paul & Barnabas, & the Reſt with them, kept the Saturday Sabbath conſtantly, after Chriſt his Aſcention; ſe for this purpoſe Act. 13.14.42.44. and Act. 16.13. and Act. 17.2. and Act. 18.4. thus it appeareth by their owne arguments, that the Saturday Sabbath is ſtill in force, & commanded by Chriſt too; & yet they will not acknowledge it, but oppoſe it. 4. I anſwer, that it is abſurd for any to imagine once, that Chriſt gaue his Apoſtles a commandement for the Lords day: for this were to caſt a foule blurr on the Apoſtles, that Chriſt their Maſter, ſhould giuegive them a Commandement, to deliuer vntounto the Churches, and they ſhold conceale it: whers then their fidelity? how could they ſay with Paul, Act. 20.27. that they had reuealed the whole counſaile of God, & kept nothing back? vvhen they had kept back a precept for the Lords day Sabbath.