A Defense of the Sabbath Day, Chapter 5 · Commentary · Section 5
SECT. V. Of the Antiquity of the Sabbath day.
TOuching the antiquity of the Sabbath, I finde two opiniones; the one holding that it was from the Creation; the other, that it was firſt inſtituted in the vvilderneſſe, after the people of Iſrael came out of Egypt: how be it much I ſuppoſe cannot be ſaid on either ſides, yet of the two, I hold the former to be the more orthodox, & to carry the greater probability with it: you ſhall ſee the reaſones on either partes, and firſt for thoſe on the contrary parte.
I.
On the contrary parte, they reaſon againſt the Antiquity of the Sabbath, out of Exod. 16.23. where it is thus written. To morrow is the rest of the Holy Sabbath vntounto the Lord. Hence they gather, that the Iſraelites were ignorant of the Sabbath vntill this time, and conſequently that the Sabbath was not from the Creation: for if it had, Moſes ſhould not hauehave needed to tell them, that it was to morrow &c.
Herevnto I anſwer: the Lord teld his people from Mount Sinay, that the 7th day was the Sabbath Exod. 20.10. Againe after that, he teld them in Leuit. 23.3. that the 7th day was the Sabbath: now will it hence follow, that becauſe God teld the Iſraelites in Leuit. 23.3. that the 7th day was the Sabbath; therfore the Iſraelites were ignorant of the Sabbath before? Againe, in their owne text Exod. 16.25. Moſes ſaid, eate that to day, for to day is a Sabbath vntounto the Lord &c. will it hence follow, that becauſe Moſes teld the Jſraelites, that that day preſent was the Lords Sabbath, therefore they knew not ſo much before? the contrary is plaine but two verſes before: For in Exod. 16.23. Moſes had teld them ouer night, or the day before, that on the morrow ſhould be the Sabbath day.
The text therfore is not to be vnderſtod, as if Moſes had informed them of the Sabbath day, whereof they were before ignorānt; but that he informed thē what they ſhould doe with their Manna on the Sabbath day, whereof they were ignorant before: for this ſee the context, in v. 19. Moſes had ſaid, that no mā ſhould leaue of their Manna till the morning: now ſince on the 6th day, they had gathered enough for that day and for the next day v. 22. the Rulers could not tell what to doe with this ouerplus: for Moſes had ſaid, they ſhould keepe none vntil the next day therfore the rulers came vntounto Moſes for counſaile in this matter v. 22 herevpon Moſes informeth thē what they ſhould doe with their ouerplus of Ma…n… on the Sabbath day v. 23. ſaying, to morrow it being the Sabbath day, let the ouerplus be laid vp vntill then, or vntill the morning v. 23. ſo whereas in v. 19. Moſes had ſaid, they ſhould not lay vp any Manna till the morning, he doth here expound himſelfe in v. 23. as if he had ſaid, that precept was but for the 6 dayes onelyonly, not for the Sabbath day: for this is excepted, they might lay vp Manna vntill the Sabbath day morning, though not vntounto other mornings. Thus you ſee this text clered, and nothing for their purpoſe.
II.
Againe they reaſon againſt the Antiquity of the Sabbath from Exod. 31.13. where the Sabbath was made a ſigne betwixt God and the Iſraelites: whence they thus reaſon, that if the Sabbath had bene from the Creation, it had bene no more a ſigne vntounto the Iſraelits then vntounto the Gentiles &c.
I anſwer, if the Sabbath had bene a ſigne from the Creation, as it was a Sabbath from the Creation, as this argument falſly ſuppoſeth, the argument had had more culler: it cannot be proued, that the Sabbath was made a ſigne from its firſt inſtitution, no more then the Rocke was a ſigne from its firſt Creation, 1. Cor. 10.4. The Sabbath became a ſigne but after the giuing of the Law, as we ſee Exod. 31.13. The ſigne was but aduentitiouſe, & added to the Sabbath after its inſtitution: wherefore, the Sabbath if it had bene a ſigne from the Creation, then it ſhould hauehave bene a ſigne as well vntounto Gentiles as vntounto Iewes: but it being made a ſigne among the Iewes onelyonly, it might be a ſigne vntounto Iewes and none vntounto Gentiles: ſince therefore the Sabbath was not a ſigne originally, as it was when it made a difference betwixt Iewes and Gentiles, this argument is of no force.
III.
Againe they reaſon thus: If the Sabbath had bene from the Creation, and ſo vntounto all people, the Lord would hauehave reproued the Gentiles, for prophaning of his Sabbaths, as well as the Iewes: But God no where reproued the Gentiles, but onelyonly the Iewes &c.
I anſwer, foraſmuch as the Law written in the heart begane to be obliterated before the giuing of the Law, therefore the Gentiles might be ignorant of Gods Sabbaths, & ſo God in mercy might ſpare them, The time of this ignorance God regarded not, ſaith Paul Act. 17.30. The Iewes hauing a cleerer light then the Gentiles, they were the more obnoxious, and theſe the leſſe. 2. whereas they ſay, that God no where reproued the Gentiles for Sabbath breaking: how know they this? ſince all things done among the Jewes, were not written, much leſſe the things done among the Gentiles. 3. by the like abſurd reaſōing, we may proue, that other of the moralls were not from the Creation: becauſe God neuer reproued the Gentiles, for the breach of them neither. So much for this argument.
IIII.
Laſtly they argue from Deut. 5.2.3. where Moſes ſaith, The Lord made not this Couenant with our fathers, but with vsus, who are aliue this day &c. Here Moſes ſpeaking of the Couenant of the Morall Law, ſaith, it was not made with their forefathers, and ſo the Sabbath which was a part of this couenant, was not from the Creation.
I anſwer 1. if theſe words be taken properly, then they will make as much againſt the antiquity of the wholl Morall Law, as againſt Gods Holy Sabbath: now it is manifeſt, that the Morall Law was more ancient, then the giuing of the Law on Mount Sinay: for we read of diuerſe parts thereof, in the booke of Geneſis. 2. whereas Moſes ſaid, the Lord made this Couenant with them aliue onelyonly in Horeb v. 2. it is manifeſt, that it was not onelyonly made in Horeb, but before: for we reade of one branch of this couenant made at leaſt a monethmonth before, in the wilderneſſe of Sin, & that was for the keeping of Gods holy, Sabbath, as it is there caled Exod. 16.23.28. for theſe cauſes, an other ſenſe of the text muſt be giuen: thus therfore it may be vnderſtod, that the Lord made not that couenant with their fathers, that is, not with them ſo expreſly and apparently, with ſuch terrour and ſuch maieſtie, as with thoſe aliue at the giuing of the Law: like textes, requiring like expoſitions, ſee Eph. 6.7. Pſal. 51.16. Ierem. 31.34. Thus we ſee, this text maketh nothing againſt the Sabbaths antiquity, & theſe are the chiefe reaſones, alleaged by Gomarus againſt the antiquity of the Sabbath, in his booke de origine Sabbathi, and how weakly you hauehave ſeene.
Thus you hauehave heard of the reaſones againſt the Antiquity of the Sabbath, and now we come vntounto the reaſons for the Antiquity thereof: touching which let this be noted, that I doe not determine whither the Sabbath was inſtituted in Paradiſe before mans fall, or inſtantly & immediatly after mans fall: and ſo I proceed.
I.
My firſt reaſon is drawne out of theſe words: So God bleſsed the 7th day, and ſanctified it; becauſe that in it he had reſted from all his worke, which God created and made Geneſ. 2.3. after that God had created the world in 6 daies, on the 7th day, and ſo euer after he reſted from that worke: in memory whereof God bleſſed the 7th day & ſanctified it, that is, God conſecrated the 7th day; & by conſecrating it, he inſtituted the 7th day aboue all the daies in the weeke for an holy day: for to ſanctify & conſecrate a day, to hallow a day, & to make a day to be an Holy day, I take to be all one: Now the queſtion may be, whither God did ſanctify this day for himſelfe to reſt in, or for man (if not for both) I rather thinke for man: for, as for God, he reſted no more on the 7th day, then on the 8th, 9th, and 10th daies, and ſo eueryevery day after; but to man it might be otherwiſe, he might reſt on the 7th day, and worke on the 8th, 9th and 10th daies &c. yea: many holy daies God hath made ſince the Creation, Leuit. 23. but it can no where be ſhowne, that he made any for himſelfe, but alwaies for man: yet more plainly, that God ſanctified the 7th day for mans vſe, it ſhall appeare by the 4th com. Exod. 20.11. where the Lord vſeth a reaſon, to perſwade vsus to reſt on the 7th day, and it is this, becauſe God himſelfe reſted on the 7th day, bleſſed it and hallowed it: which reaſon is drawne from the Sanctification of the 7th day at the Creation Geneſ. 2.3. as if the Lord had ſaid, you ſhall reſt on the 7th day: becauſe, I bleſſed it and ſanctified it at the Creation, for the ſelfe ſame end: hereby then it appeareth, that the 7th day at the Creation was ſanctified with reference vntounto man: yet further, it ſhall appeare by the words of our Sauiour, Mark. 2.27. ſaying, The Sabbath was made for man &c. it is plaine then, that when God made the Sabbath at the Creation, he made it for man: thus it appeareth, that the Sabbath was from the Creation.
Herevnto ſome anſwer, that the Sabbath at the Creation, was exemplary indeede, but not obligatory, vntill the 4th com. was deliuered in the wilderneſſe. But the vanity of this diſtinction. ſhall thus appeare. 1. If the law of the Sabbath, the 4th com. did not bind vntill it was deliuered on Mount Sinay, then did none of the other Nyne com. bind neither, vntill they were deliuered on Mount Sinay: vnleſſe you will ſay that the Law had not euer tenn commandements in it, and that the law is not of a Copulatiue nature. 2. It were moſt ſtrange to ſuppoſe, that God ſhould giuegive an example, more then 2000 yeeres before any ſhould follow it: for wherefore are examples, but for to be imitated? 3. When our Sauiour ſaid, The Sabbath was made for man, Mark. 2.27. he meaneth not, that it was made at the Creation for an example vſeleſſe, but for mans vſe, as to reſt in it &c. 4. Can any man thinke it, that God ſhould ſanctify the 7th day, and ſo make it an holy day, at the Creation, and then ſuffer it to be profaned and polluted, for 2000 yeeres after, vntill the Iſralites came into the wilderneſſe? or, can any man thinke, that God ſhould make a Sabbath day at the Creation, for the people of the Iewes onelyonly? who were not a people diſtinct of nere 2000 yeeres after, and not for the Patriarkes alſo, who liued before the flood? or, can we thinke that the Fathers before the flood, had Sacrifices, and no Sabbaths? that they had the worſhip of God, and no time allotted for it? or can we thinke, that the Church of God from the Creation, had no day ſet aparte, for a thankfull & holy remembrance of the Creation of the world, vntill they were come into the wilderneſſe?
II.
My ſecond reaſon to proue that the Sabbath was from the Creation is, becauſe the 4th com. muſt be ſuppoſed, to be as ancient, as are the other nyne commandements of the Decalogue (for the Decalogue is holden of all, to be as ancient as the world) and ſo it muſt be, for elſe the Law were not of a copulatiue nature; the 10 commandements were not linked together, as a chaine of many linkes: for one linke, to wit, the 4th in mideſt of the chaine ſhould be wanting, contrary vntounto Iam. 2.10. & contrary to the doctrine of all Diuines. 2. If the 4th cō. were not as ancient as the other 9 commandements, then it muſt be abſurdly ſuppoſed, that the Decalogue had not alwaies 10 commandements in it, as it had Deut. 10.4. If then the 4th com. be as ancient as are the other 9 commandements, then the Sabbath therein commanded, muſt be as ancient, as is the Morall Law, which is for antiquity from the Creation.
It may be obiected, that there is no mention of the Sabbath day, vntill the Law was giuen vponupon Mount Sinay, Exod. 20. or at ſooneſt in the wilderneſſe of Sin, Exo, 16.1.23. well, be it ſo, but doth it follow, that becauſe it was not ſooner mentioned, it was not therefore ſooner in vſe? the Law againſt murther, it is not mentioned at the ſooneſt, vntill after the murther of Abell Geneſ. 4.15. but will it thereof follow, that there was no Law againſt murther, before Kaine killed Habel? we know, many things there were, which were not recorded; for elſe the world could not conteine the bookes Ioh. 21.25. on the contrary, for ſo much as we find, that the Sabbath was in vſe Exo. 16.23. before the 4th com. was giuen on mount Sinay, Ex. 20.1.8. it is therefore the moſt likly, that it was from the Creation: for if it had not its firſt originall at Mount Sinay, when can it be thought to hauehave its begining, but at the Creation, together with the other commandements of the Decalogue?
III.
My third reaſon, that the Sabbath was from the Creation is, becauſe we find not the Spirituall workes of the Sabbath day particularly expreſſed in the 4th com. giuen vponupon Mount Sinay Exod. 20. nor yet in the mention of the ſame Law before, in the wilderneſſe of Sin, Exo. 16. which is an argument, that the Sabbath day was in vſe, and the manner how to ſanctify it, was well knowne vntounto the Iewes, before either of theſe Lawes were written Exod. 20. or Exod. 16.5.23.28. otherwiſe, God himſelfe would in ſome of theſe textes, hauehave expreſſed particularly vntounto them, after what manner, and where withall they ſhould ſanctifie this day: The ſame is alſo confirmed, by the firſt word of the 4th com. Remember: Remember the Sabbath day, to ſanctify it: ſignifying that they knew before, and could cale it to minde againe, how to Sanctify the Sabbath day; and therefore touching this point, the Lord needed not ſay any more vntounto them, but Remember it &c. I hauehave often maruailed in my ſelfe, why it ſhould pleaſe God, ſo punctually & expreſly to mention, the corporall obſeruation of the Sabbath, in reſting from bodily laboures, and be ſo ſilent as it were, in the Spirituall dueties of the Sabbath, which are the more excellent: doubtleſſe, the reaſon is becauſe the Sanctification of the Sabbath did not then begine, when the Law was giuen Exod. 20. or Exo. 16. but that it was an ancient ordinance of Gods, long before in the Church, & in the memory of all men before the giuing of the Law, as were the other Morales in the Decalogue; ſo as they knew how to ſanctify the day, and with what dueties.
I confeſſe it, that the Lord vſeth the word Sanctify in the 4th com. which doth in generall imply the particular meanes and waies of ſanctifying the day, but it doth not ſhew vsus how or whereby in particular, the day ſhould be ſanctified: how know we at this day, where withall to ſanctify the Sabbath day? we rather find is by obſeruation, how the Church of God euer did ſanctifie it, then by the 4th com. as farre as euer I could vnderſtand; we find the people and Church of God, conſtantly ſanctifying it with ſacred actiones: for they had on that day, holy conuocationes and aſſemblies, Leuit. 23.3. then the people reſorted vntounto the Prophets for inſtruction ij. King. 4, 23. then the Sacred Scriptures were publiquly red, Act. 15.21. then they ſung Pſalmes, Pſal. 92. then the people did worſhip before the Lord at the gate of the Temple, Ezek. 46.1.3. on this day our Sauiour Chriſt, and his Apoſtles after him, did conſtantly preach vntounto the people, Luk. 4.16. &c. Act. 13.44. Act. 16.13. Act. 17.2. Act. 18.4. Now as we learne, what God meant by the word Sanctifie in the 4th com. by the obſeruation how Gods Church did ſanctify the Sabbath day in their practiſe, ſo no doubt, thoſe Iſralites in the wilderneſſe, knew what God meant by the word ſanctify, by the conſtant practiſe of their anceſtores before them.
IV.
My 4th reaſon is drawne from the firſt word of the 4th com. Remember: Remember the Sabbath day, to ſanctify it &c. now in aſmuch as God commanded thoſe Iewes at Mount Sinay, to remember the Sabbath day, it implieth that the Sabbath day was in vſe before then, and that they knew it, and could cale it to minde againe: for remembrance implieth the caling to mind of a thing forepaſt and foreknowne.
Hereto ſome may thus anſwer, admit this word remember hath relation to the Sabbath as foreknowne, yet there may be a double relation, the one to the Sabbath as inſtituted from the Creation, the other to it as commanded in the wilderneſſe of Sin Exod. 16. But that this word remember, hath relation to a knowledge beyond that in the wilderneſſe of Sin, & conſequently vntounto the Creation, it will appeare 1. By this, that God bad them remember to Sanctify the Sabbath day, now how to ſanctify the Sabbath day in a ſpeciall manner, as hath bene ſhowne, they lerned not by the 4th commandement Exod. 20. Nor in the wilderneſſe of Sin Exod. 16. and therefore this word remember had reference to times before their being in the wilderneſſe of Sin. 2. It is nothing probable, that this word ſhould hauehave reference but vntounto the Iſraelites being in the wilderneſſe of Sin: for, the mention of the Sabbath in the wilderneſſe of Sin, was but one monethmonth before the giuing of the Law, on Mount Sinay, as you may ſee Exod. 16.1. Exod. 19.1. Now can it be thought, the Jſraelites were of ſo brittle memories, to forget a law giuen them but one monethmonth before, as they ſhould ſtand in need to hauehave the word Remember added ſo ſhortly after? is it not by farre the more likly, that this word had reference vntounto ſome long time before, as vntounto the Creation, the memory whereof ſtod in neede of a ſpeciall Memorandum, leaſt they ſhould forget it? yea, doth not the reaſon annexed to the commandement Exod. 20.11. drawne from Gods hallowing of the 7th day at the Creation, to moue the Iewes to ſanctifie the 7th day, imply ſo much? as if the Lord ſaid, becauſe I reſted on the 7th day at the Creation, & therefore bleſſed it, & ſanctified it for your holy vſe, therefore forget it not, though it was done long ſince, but Remember it, to ſanctifie it &c.
V.
My 5th reaſon: we doe not onelyonly learne it from our Sauiour, that the Sabbath was made for man Mark. 2.27. But alſo more particularly, we find that it was made for the exerciſing mercy vntounto man, yea both to man & beaſt, as we read Exod. 23.12. Deut. 5, 14. that ſo poore tiered ſeruants, might by a reſt then be refreſhed: hence I thus argue, if that the Sabbath was not from the Creation, and ſo before the Iſraelits came into the wilderneſſe, then this abſurdety ſhall follow; that God was not ſo mindfull, to ſhew mercy vntounto the poore tired ſeruants of the Patriarkes; as he vvas vntounto the ſeruants of the Iewes in the wilderneſſe: nor ſo mercifull before the giuing of the Law, as after.
6.
My 6th reaſon for the Antiquity of the Sabbath, ſhall be the vnanimouſe conſent of well nigh all Diuines: for this purpoſe Doctour Bownd in his booke on the Sabbath, pag. 6. ſaith, The Sabbath was from the begining, from the Creation: it came in with the first man, & must goe out with the laſt man: for confirmation hereof, he alleageth ſondry Authores, as Vatabl. Iunius, Peter Martyr, Bullinger, Hoſpinian, Danaeus, Zanchie, & pag. 12. Chryſoſtome, Beza, Bertram, Athanaſius.
To the ſame effect Walaeus de S…bbatho citeth ſondry Authores of beſt note, pag. 43. as Philo Judaeus lib. 3. be vita Moſis: & among Chriſtianes Chriſostome Hom. 10. in cap. 2. Gen. Theodoret: quaeſt. in Geneſ. Auguſtine ad Caſul. Epiſt. 86. Luther in 2. Cap. Geneſ. Zuinglius comment. in 20. Cap. Exod. Caluine in 20 Cap. Exod. & in 5. Cap. Deut. Beza in 1. Cap. Apocalyp. Martyr in 2. Cap. Geneſ. and in 4. praecept. Bullinger in Cap. 12. Mat. Zanchie de operibus creationis Cap. 1. Vrſinus Catech: in 4. praecept. Gualtherus in Math. 12. Homil. 162. The inſtitution of the Sabbath (ſaith he) is moſt ancient, neither is there any thing in all the worſhip of God more ancient &c. Aretius tom. 1. loc. com. loco 30. Bertrame in libello de Politia Iudaicea cap. 2. Mercerus in Cap. 2. Geneſ. Anton. Faius. Junius in 2. Geneſ. Pareus in 2. Geneſ. Zepperus lib. 4.24. de legib. forenſ. Iudaeorum. Alſtedius Theol. Catecheti. Sect. 3. Cap. 6. Hauing quoted all theſe Authores, with others more, to proue the Sabbath was from the Creation, then Walaeus concludeth thus, The ſame alſo is affirmed, almost of all other interpreters, of the Reformed Church: neither (ſaith he) hauehave I euer yet ſeene any that hath directly denied it, vnleſe ſome one or two of our late writers, who hauehave bene bould to question it.
Here let me add what I find recorded by M. Aynſworth in his Annotationes on the 92. Pſalme, vponupon the Title of it: where he ſaith the Chaldee paraphraſeth vponupon it thus, An hymne, a ſong which the first man Adam, ſaid for the Sabbath day, It ſeemes therefore, by the iudgment of Antiquity, that the Sabbath was from the Creation, and that Adam himſelfe ſanctified it. Let theſe reaſones & Teſtimonies be put into the Scale, togeather with thoſe on the contrary parte, & I beleeue thoſe will not hold weight with theſe: and ſo much for the antiquity of this ſacred ordinance, the 7th day Sabbath. Now ſhall we ſuffer ſo ancient an ordinance, to be cauſeleſly and needleſly trampled vnderunder foote? who that loueth Antiquity, but ſhould be in louelove with this ſo ancient an ordinance? then the which, is not a more ancient ordinance now in the Church of God; or if there be, it is not aboue one day older: this ordinance it is well nigh as ancient as the world it ſelfe. So much for the Antiquity of the 7th day or Saturday Sabbath.
CHAPT. VI.
THis Chapter conteineth a Diſpenſation, touching the preſent practiſe; ſhewing, that a Chriſtian is not neceſſarily bound in conſcience, to make a rente from our Church in his preſent practiſe; but that he may waite, for the fitneſſe of ſeaſon & opportunity; and the publike reformation of the Magiſtrate. And then it concludeth, with an Exhortation, to vſe all poſſible and lawfull meanes, for a publike & generall Reformation.