The Sabbath Vindicated, Chapter 5
Broad.
CHAP. V. 1. The Sabbath was a shadow.
SAint Paul in his second Chapter of the Epistle to the Coloss. hath these words, Let no man judge you in Meat, Coloss: 2. 16. 17.or Drinke, or in respect of an holy Day, or of the new Moone,Hoc est, figurae fuerunt quae portenderent ea quae post essent verè exbīhenda à Christo. Marlor. or of the Sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ. Here by Sabbath the Weekely Sabbaths are meant as I gather.
1. Because St. Paul useth another word which doth most properly signifie the festivall Dayes, foreign.
2. Vnles by Sabbaths in this place the weekly Sabbaths be meant,*Vide Tract… de Sab. cap. 2. erg: 1. wee have not the least warrant in Gods word for working on the Iewes Sabbath. The Sabbatarians heretofore might with more colour have put of any Text then this.
3. Taking it for granted that wee … not keepe the Iewes Sabbath, how it is credible that S. Paul being Christs only Doctour about Dayes,Rom: 14. Gal: 4. Coloss: 2. and handling this matter purposely in three Epistles, should not give us to understand as much in one of them, and if in any in this.
4. Thus it is taken by very many great Divines S. Aug: termeth the Sabbath Sacramentum ambratile spir: & lit: Instit: lib: 2. cap. 8. sect. 28.cap: 14. Calvin speaking of the fourth Commandement sayth umbratile veteres nuncupare solent, so that it seemeth the Fathers generally for Sabbaths here understood the Weekely Sabbaths, and therefore tearmed the fourth Commandement umbratile shadowish.
5. I know no more but two or three in Print who take it otherwise, and all that they can say, is that it is Sabbaths in the plurall number,See Math: 28. 15. Acts 13. 14 & 16. 13. but Sabbaths importeth the Weekely Sabbath in many places. Againe that with Sabbaths are adjoyned Meates and Drinkes, and therefore that S. Paul speaketh of such Sabbaths as are in ranke with them, which manner of arguing is tearmed Petitio principis: This is all that ever I knew alledged by any, which is so little, that it only argueth a will to say something, it is not so much as a shadow of sound proofe.
Besides this Text Coloss: 2. There are other pregnant enough to prove, that the Sabbath was a shadow, Type or Ceremony, as that Exod: 31. 13. and and the like may be gathered by Heb: 4.*See what I have written of this Text… my questions. but of these Texts more shall bee said hereafter.
Answer.
1. However there may be another word used to signifie Festivall Dayes, yet you cannot deny, but it is frequent to name their festivalls, Sabbaths: Because of the Rest and analogy which they had common with the Weekly Sabbath. *Like as Magistrates are called Gods, though there be other words to signify them.And such is the sence of this Text, as may probably appeare by these following reasons which you so slightly evade.
1. Because it is Sabbaths in the plurall number, for the Greeke word foreign where it signifieth the Weekely Sabbath, and not the Weeke it selfe, is for most part either expressed in the singular number, or if in the plurall, then it is joyned with a word singular, as foreign, and after this manner it is also every where translated both in English and Latine, but in this 2. Coloss: 16. there are none of all these.
2. Because Sabbaths are adjoyned with such things (in this place of the Coloss:) which are indisputably abrogative and meerly Iewish, *Such as are termed in the 14 verse the handwriting of ordinances, and in the 17 verse are termed the shadowes of such things to come, whose body is of Christ, that is, which are fulfilled in Christ, and whose significations end when hee commeth. But we know the signification (as you your selfe confesse out of 4. Heb:) of the Sabbaths Rest is Heaven, our Rest there which remaineth unfulfilled yet to the People of God as the same 4. Heb: sheweth.and therefore are these the likelier to be such. For as Dr. Andrewes saith of the Sabbath, how that it had beene folly to have put a ceremoniall Law amongst the Morall; so say I in this case, that it were strange if God, who is the God of order and not of confusion, should by his Apostle in this place mixe one of the ten Morall Commandements with the hand writing of Ordinances, things meerely ceremoniall and abrogated.
To which two Reasons I adde these which follow.
1. The Apostle himselfe did condescend to keepe the Weekely Sabbath with the Iewes (not only for a time, as he did some of the Iewish Holy-dayes as also their other rites, but at all times and in all places as occasion offered) as being a thing of a different nature from their Sabbaths which he taught.
2. These three Holy-dayes, New-moones and Sabbaths are but (as I may so say) Synonimies in sence signifying as it were one and the same thing, in the intention of the Apostle by divers expressions: for were not New moones Holy-dayes, and Holy-daies Sabbaths, so that if you disp…e from a seeming Tautology you may as well argue against New-moones as Sabbaths. And I would know why Holy-daies and Sabbaths may not be as well one and the same in this place of the Coloss: as in the 58. Isa: 13. both of them in the one place signifying the Weekely Sabbath, and in the other place the Iewish Sabbaths. Which Synominy doth the rather appeare from that 4. Gal: 16 (which is the same in effect with this of the Coloss:) where the Apostle by Dayes, Moneths, Times and Yeares, meaneth things of the same nature and Ordination, to wit, the Iewish abrogated Types and Ceremonies such as begun with Mans Fall (or rather with Moses) and ended with Christs Resurrection (unto which the converted Gentiles did too much adhere) not such as began in Paradice, and shall end in Heaven.
But whereas it may bee objected: that doubtlesse had not the Apostle intended all Sabbaths in the word plurall, he would have made some particular exception of the Weekely Sabbath, considering how considerable it was so to do, if he would have had the Weekely Sabbath to bee understood to bee still of force.
To this I answer. That the first Day of the Weeke or Lords Day having taken footing among the convert Gentiles to whom the Apostle wrote, he might with lesse scruple use the word Sabbaths absolutely without exception; considering that all Sabbaths (eo nomine) were outlawed. Though now as the case stands we in these times are forced to re-assume the name Sabbath (not thereby to shoulder out the more worthy name of Lords Day, but) to vindicate the authority of the fourth Commandement, and to testify our judgements touching the new Sabbath; like as the primitive times are reported to take up the wearing of the Crosse to testifie their profession and Confession of a Crucified Christ against their opposers.
2. To your second Reason I answer. That our warrant to worke on the Iewes seaventh Day is the fourth Commandement, which proportioneth us out sixe Dayes for our worldly affaires, and the seaventh for an holy rest, which is the totall and morall sence and summe of that Commandement, and which wee still observe, the order being occasionall and temporary, but the number morall and perpetuall, as I have proved before. And therefore the Apostles did imply a nullity of the one by the bringing in of the other, according to the nature of the Commandement and the Prophecy of Isaiah 65. 16.
So that if you thinke it meet to retaine the Lords Day in our Church (as you do in your premonition) then must you grant the order to be changed. For it was never the Apostles meaning nor in their power, when God by a perpetuall Law from the beginning had given us sixe Dayes for labour and destined the seaventh to an holy Rest, to have turned it into five Dayes labour and two Dayes Rest. For amongst the Iewes, when Holy-dayes were so frequent, there was never any weekely Holy day ordayned, to go cheeke by jole with the Sabbath, but either Monethly or Yearely. So that as Moses his Serpent eate up the Sorcerers, so hath our seaventh Day eaten up theirs.*As the Apostle sayth in another case, 2 Cor: 3. 10. Even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory which excelleth. Generatio unius est corruptio alterius. Our new Heaven and new Earth have given us a new Sabbath and new Rest. For old things are passed away, and all things are become new.
3. To your third reason I answer. That Paul in like case speaketh in divers places of Ministers maintenance, and yet saith never a word to cleare the controversy of Tythes, whether they bee or bee not Iure divino, but he preacheth the substance, to wit, a meet maintenance to be necessary. So in Pauls discourse of times and Dayes (as also of other things) although he satisfy not our Fancies, who cannot see af…rre of, yet doth he answer the will of the Holy Ghost, who for reasons whereof wee are uncapable spareth to doe what wee expect. And indeed the reason of Pauls not Preaching the Sabbaths alteration might be because it was neither safe nor convenient. For it must needes have given great offence to the Iewes, (seeing it had a place amongst the morall Commandements) who were so precise in the punctisioes of times, as that they would have beene of your opinion, that either their seaventh Day or none was morall: and so would have taken advantage to vilifie his doctrine, as if he had gone about to overthrow as well the Morall as Ceremoniall Law; the sun shine of the Gospell being too bright for their weake Eyes to behold all at once. And therefore the Aposile, condescending to their infirmities, chose rather to insinuate the Lords Day t…citly by his practice, then by his doctrine. For so i… behoved him in those times, wherein hee became all to all that he might win some. And therefore did he take occ…on on the I…ish Sabbaths to Prea…h the Gospell in their Synagogues, when yet wee see how that privately hee sanctified the Lords Day with Ch…istians.
Therefore I conclude that this Scripture is nothing concerning the Weekely Sabbath (whereof he writeth nothing at all directly for the reasons aforesaid) but of the Iewish Ceremoniall Sabbaths which hee must needs cry downe, if he set up Christ. The shadow must vanish, when the substance comes in place. And of this the converted Iewes were mostly as well perswaded without offence as the converted Gentiles. But of this sort was not the Weekely Sabbath, as I have proved elsewhere, and as further is evident from the 92. Psal: which is dedicated to the Sabbath Day, but none of the rest of the Psalmes to any of the legall Ceremonies, from which I may thus reason.
That seeing the Booke of the Psalmes, was ordained for the consolation of the militant Church unto the Worlds end, (as may appeare by the Apostles exhortation) it seemeth not consonant to reason, that a part of Gods perpetuall worship should be dedicated to a temporary Ceremony.
To your fourth and fifth I answer, that how the Sabbath is said to be shadowish, wee have shewne before, and shall have more occasion hereafter to enlarge it.
Amongst those two or three which justifie the morality of the Sabbath. I would have you take in Dr. Andrewes in his exposition of the fourth Commandement, and Mr. Hooker in his Eccles: Pol: and Bishop Hell whom I have already alleadged.
Broad.
2. The Sabbath was a shadow from the beginning.
FOr Gods very Resting was Typicall as appeareth Heb: 4. 4. observe that the Apostle there speaketh os the seaventh Day as rested upon by God, and not as sanctified by him or enjoyned to be sanctified by Man, so that the seaventh Day then became a Type when God rested therein, the seaventh Day in order if not in time before it was sanctified was Gods rest, and Consequently a shadow of the Rest remaining to the People of God. Consider further that it doth not appeare by the Scripture when the Sabbath became a shadow; and which was the first Sabbath that was such if the first of all were not.
Againe that all other shadowes and Types were such from their first institution.
If any thinke there was no shadow or Ceremony of Christ before Sin.
Ans: Suppose that before there had beene no shadow or Type at all, yet might the Sabbath bee a shadow or Type from the beginning thereof, for it is very profitable that Adam fell the Day before. Againe though there were no Ceremony of Christ before Sinne, yet might there be a shadow of things to come, that now shall be exhibited by Christ, which had not Adam sinned God would have exhibited by himselfe.
There were it seemes three Types or shadowes in the beginning, Paradice, the Tree of Life, and the seaventh Day Gods Rest, of the comfort of all which Adam for his Sinne was deprived. But afterwards God being mercifull to the posterity of Abraham they had the same Sabbath, Mannah for the Tree of Life, and the Land of Canaan for Paradice, which was as it were another Paradice, and a figure also of the Kingdome of Heaven.
Answer.
In the 4. of Hebrewes it is beyond the Apostles scope to treate upon the sanctification of the Sabbath, for that there he only disputeth upon the typicall use of it. So that thence I easily grant you the significary or typicalnes of the Sabbaths rest even from the beginning: so you take it not in a Iewish sence as abrogative by Christ his first comming: for though Christ then came to destroy the ceremoniall Law, yet came hee to fulfill the Morall Law, in which the Sabbath hath his seate, and whose typicalnes doth not so properly relate to Christ, or to our present Rest in him, as to our Rest in Heaven,*As appeareth in the 4 Hev: where by Gods 6 Dayes worke and re…ting on the seaventh i, signified the travell of Mans Life, and his Rest in Heaven, if he be of the People of God, and thus hath eveu Christ himselfe rested before us (as is there also specified) is partaker, as well as procurer of the benefit of this Type. which in Innocency wee were capable of without him, although that now our capacity and interest in that Rest being lost, and only recovered in and through Christ, it may by accident referre to Christ (as the Tree of Life is made to doe.) because he is become our Intermedium to that Rest which yet at first it signified without him, and thus is Marriage made a Type of Christ, and his Church, which in Innocency was properly a Type of the Vnion and Vnity betweene God and his Church immediately till sinne made a divorce, and therefore are they not as other Types occasionally taken up and occasionally laid downe, but begun (as I may say) before Christ, and shall end after him, that is, when hee shall give up his Kingdome into the hands of his Father, to whom the Creation being appropriated, this Type of the Sabbath being grounded thereupon, must needs begin and end in him. Yet so, as that by reason of Christs intervention, and the new Creation which he hath made, it is (by accident) of use also towards him; because that in and by him only, wee now enjoy this Rest, and are given in Marriage unto God. So that, if wee can here prove our Rest and Marriage unto him by Fayth, then are wee inchoatively possessed of our everlasting Rest and Marriage, which shall be consummated with God in Heaven, * whereof these two Institutions in Innocency were figures.
Touching the time of Adams Fall for my part I cannot thinke it was before Gods seaventh Day, and my reason is from Moses his method for he putteth it after, and yet I doe beleeve hee never kept Sabbath in Innocency, but fell before his owne seaventh Day.
Touching Adams deprivation I answer. That although it be evident by Scripture and the fiery Sword, that Adam was deprived of Paradice, and the Tree of Life, as being properly annexed to the Commandement concerning the Tree of Good and Evill: yet doth not the same appeare concerning the Sabbath, for that it did partake as well of duty as of commodity, and was a coadjutor to the Law of nature: besides we see it renewed in its proper kind, and upon its primitive reason: which the other are not, but exempt by a fery Sword; also wee see the Scripture saith, the Sabbath was made for Man, which indefinitely signifieth all Mankind, though properly the People of God. For God having still a People he hath for them a Rest in Heaven, towards which the Sabbath is as helpfull as the Sacrament of the Lords supper is to our Faith in Christ. For as one sayth. Even now in this marveilous light of the Gospell, wee have our divine Ceremonies and Sacraments, God reserving the greatest for the Kingdome of glory.
Broad.
3. The Sabbath was a shadow of our blessed Rest in Heaven.
SAint Paul saying Coloss: 2. that Meate, Drinke, Holy-dayes and Sabbaths are a shadow of things to come, doth not there tell us of what things to come they are a shadow.
And the only place (in my knowledge) whereby wee may gather of what the Sabbath was a shadow, is Heb: 4. by which Chapter it appeareth that the Sabbath was a shadow or Type of the Rest in Heaven. The Rests or Sabbaths mentioned in that chapter are three, one, the first seaventh Day verse 4. another the Land of Canaan verse 8. a third the Kingdome of Heaven verse 9. of the latter Rest the two former were shadowes. Some tell us of a legall spirituall and Heavenly Sabbath, and the legall with them was a Type of both the other, which I dislike not.
Answer.
You may well imagine of what things to come Paul meaneth in that 2. Coloss: if you consider the context, for after he had handled Circumcision both in its Type and Antitype, then he concludeth of other things of that nature in these words, let no man therefore condemne you in Meat or Drinke &c. As if he had said; like as Circumcision, so all things of that nature and institution, are extinguished through Christ, the substance of these shadowes, and the end of these Ceremonies. Amongst whichby an Argument ex non concessis, you would draw in the Weekly Sabbath to bee one, (as if the Iewes had not other Sabbaths which more properly are to bee reckoned in that number) and yet confesse it to signifie our Rest in Heaven, and to have none other signification but that: which signification is still in force also, as wee see in the 4. of H…b. which properly is true of none of the abrogated Shadowes. Which signification I say is still in force and consequently the Sabbath: for how should it be other, seeing that they are Christs owne words, Math: 5. 18. That till Heaven and Earth passe one jot or one tittle shall in no wise passe from the Law till all bee fulfilled. Now how can the Sabbath be abrogated, seeing by your owne confession it signifieth our Rest in Heaven, which is not yet fulfilled nor will not be till the second comming of Christ. whereas the Iewish Types therefore vanished at the first comming of Christ, because they received the fulfilling in him properly and adequately.
But perchance it will be objected.Ob…. That the abolishment of all the signes of the Old Testament was by this, that Christ hath actually acquired all the benefits figured by them, though the Elect inherit them not yet totally and perfectly; and thus he hath also acquired the benefit of the Sabbaths signification for us, though not yet accomplished it to us.
I answer. 1. It is true that the benefits of both are acquired by Christ, Answ.but in a different kind. For the Iewish Types were since the Fall created de novo for his sake, to shadow him forth, and so he properly accomplisheth and soe abolisheth them, Coloss: 2. 17.*Whence D. Taylor observes (in his Christ revealed pag: 4) But this of the Sabbath was created in the beginning, and was since then (things so falling out by the Fall) only renewed for his sake: like as was the Law also (for God makes them go hand in hand and so should wee) to the end that both of them may appeare,1 That as the body is the cause of the shadow so Christ was the cause of those Ceremonies. by the accident of our Fall, to bee now only fulfilled and accomplished on our behalfes through and by Christ.2 That as the shadow representeth the shape of the body with the actions and motions: sod those rites and Ceremonies resemble Christ in all his actions, passions, motions.
I say 2ly. It may as well bee said that the whole Law is utterly abolished by Christ, as the Sabbath… for that he hath fulfilled the righteousnes therof for us; and yet we know that to us under the Gospell the Law is still binding in a Gospell sence, requiring a willing and an upright, though not an absolute and perfect obedience unto it: And so are we to celebrate a Gospell Sabbath, though not the last of seaven as expecting Rest by workes, yet the first day of seaven as having and expecting Rest by Christ for still the Law and the Sabbath fate alike. So that (as one sayth) Christ hath both accomplished and abolished the Ceremoniall Law, the … Law he hath accomplished but not abolished; for Christ is the End of the Daw. But as Augustine well distinguisheth, the perfecting not the destroying End.
But by the way I must in this place the better to cleare the truth take in two objections that are made against our acceptation of this 4. Heb:
First, they object that Gods Rest (there spoken of) on the seaventh Day is not meant as typifying our Rest in Heaven, but only is mentioned in way of similitude.
Ans: 1. If the Sabbath be at all a Type it must bee so from the beginning: for as M. Broad observeth it appeares not else, by Scripture, when the Sabbath became a shadow, and which was the first Sabbath, that was such, if the first of all was not. And againe, that all other shadowes and Types were such from their first institution.
If the Sabbath be no Type, why is it disputed to be no Morall Commandement, but abrogated?
That it is the Churches Type appeares two wayes.
1 From the olteration and change which it hath undergone since Christ.
2 By the inference which is made, in way of consequence from Gods resting unto his Peoples resting, in the connexion of the 9 and 10 verses of this 4 chap. Heb:
The Sabbath its said was made for Man, that is, for his benefit and here to signify his happines hereafter: so Mayer in locum saith, that in Gods being said to rest, there must needs be an alluding to a most joyfull Rest to be had by Man, seeing he was never weary neither had he need of Rest: so Anselm. to prove the rest of the seaventh Day, and that it prefigured a further rest to come, hee aleadgeth the words (saith hee) of the history in Genesis▪ (The seaventh Day God rested from all his Workes) for in that immediately after the making of Man these words were added, it is plaine, that the resting of man who was last made was meant hereby. For as Augustine saith, God was not weary so that he had need to rest in regard of his great labour, but in those words he hath promised Rest to the labouring, or because he made all things very good and then it is said, he rested, thou maist understand also that after thy good workes thou shalt rest, and rest without end.
Secondly, they object, that by Rest there is not meant our Rest in Heaven, but our Rest from Sinne here upon Earth, or our Gospell rest.
To this I answer, It cannot properly beare that sence; for,
1. It must bee such a Rest as God rested, which was not from Sinne, but an everlasting Rest in Heaven from the Works of Creation.
2. It must be such a Rest as is spoken of in the fourth Commandement, which is not properly a Rest from Sinne, but a Rest from workes.
3. As Mayer observeth it is there called Sabbatismus which signifieth a time of everlasting joy and festivity which cannot bee expressed, which is only proper to Heaven.
4. To put all out of doubt in the 14 verse of this 4 chap. Heb: it is expresly called Heaven, and Christ himselfe is implyed to rest it when he ascended into Heaven. Nor doth the Apostles speaking in the present tense in the third verse of this chap: saying, (Wee which have beleeved doe enter into Rest) afford any Argument against it, for that is only a speech of fayth, implying the certainty thereof, as also intimating the inchoation or entrance which the People of God make into this Heavenly Rest or everlasting Life even in this Life. For the Apostles dispute there sheweth that God hath a Rest of everlasting Happines for his People, as for himselfe, and which now wee are become capable of only by the promise of the Gospell through Faith, by reason of Christ our high Priest, who is gone thither before us, but for farther satisfaction see mi…e Anal… pag▪ 38.
Broad.
4. The Sabbath was a shadow in as much as it was a Sabbath, that is, a day of rest and refreshing.
THe Sabbath (as hath beene said) was a shadow of the blessed rest to come, and hereof now it was a shadow in respect it was a Sabbath or day of rest, even as the Land of Canaan was a type of Heaven in as much as it was a place of rest. Some will not have a Sabbath it selfe to bee a shadow, but would Saint Paul have said the holy dayes new Moones and Sabbaths are shadowes, if not these but circumstances onelyonly about them had been a shadow, where is the word Sabbath taken in such a sense? The word Sabbath is to bee taken in such a sense Col. 2. as it is to bee taken in other places, The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath. Matth. 12. Mar. 2.The Sabbath was made for Man, was the strict rest, precise seaventh day or the like made for Man? was the Son of Man Lord of the Sabbath onelyonly in such respects? but let us examine their Doctrine better.
The Sabbath they say was shadowish or ceremoniall in some respects:The Sabbath was not a shadow in as much as it was the seaventh day, but the seaventh day was a shadow in as much as it was the Sabbath or day of rest: consider that the thing shadowed is the rest spoken of Hebr. 4. 9. as first, in respect it was the seaventh day, and here they say, that the number of seaven is mysticall, that it is the number of perfection, and tell of seaven dayes, and of seaven times seaven yeares &c. Ans.
1. Why may not I say also that the number of three is mysticall, I am sure that three Persons in one God is the greatest mistery of all others, and I can tell them of three Persons in one God, of three Angels appearing to Abram.
2. Supposing that the number of seaven bee mysticall, it followeth that wee are freed from it, and not from the seaventh day onelyonly, for what have wee to doe with the Iewish darke mysteries, in this cleare Sun-shine of the Gospell. The weeke by this Doctrine should rather bee a mystery or shadow then the Sabbath, for the Sabbath was but one day of the seaven, as the first was or any other. Indeed the Sabbath was the last of the seaven but what of that? Saint Paul tearming the Sabbath a shadow joyneth it with the Holy-dayes and new Moones, if now they will have the Sabbath be a shadow in regard it was the last of the weeke, the New-moone (maysome say) was a shadow in regard it was the first of the Month, and the holy-dayes in regard they fell at other times.
3. If the number of seaven or last of seaven bee mysticall, must it not bee so from the beginning. And thus must the Sabbath bee a mystery or shadow from the first institution, as all other shadowes were. Secondly, in respect of their strict rest, but I know nothing of any moment,God himselfe rested strictly, for hee rested from all his works Gen. 2. 2. unlesse Gods example teacheth us to rest strictly, it teacheth us nothing. which they bring for proofe hereof, and why of the strict rest and not of the whole? Certainely wee shall rest wholly in Heaven. And if the Sabbath was ceremoniall in respect of the strict rest, then it seemeth hee that laboured all day or a good part thereof brake the morall part and so sinned. Moreover the holy-dayes (joyned with the Sabbath Col. 2.) may seeme to want the ceremony, seeing no such strict rest was in joyned in them as was shewed before Chap. 2. 3. in respect of the sacrifices offered therein. Ans.
First, If sacrifices offered on such a day made the day a shadow, then every day of the weeke was a shadow as well as the Sabbath, for sacrifices were by the Law to bee offered every day.
Secondly, Then shall wee have three Sacraments for the administration of the Lords supper is as well a part of sanctifying the Lords day, as the offering of sacrifices was a part of sanctifying the Sabbath. If then the sacrifices made the Sabbath a ceremony like to themselves, the Lords supper maketh the Lords day a Sacrament like to it selfe also.
Thirdly, If a ceremoniall duty enjoyned on the Sabbath made it partly ceremoniall, a morall duty enjoyned on the holy-dayes made them partly morall. And thus should the feast of Passeover bee partly morall as well as the Sabbath.
Answer.
I grant you, that the Sabbath was a shadow or signification of the blessed rest to come, and that not as it was a seaventh day,*In respect of any mystery contained therein. but as the seaventh day was a Sabbath. But hence you would deduce a wrong conclusion, that therefore it is as was the Iewish shadowes, abrogative in the comming of Christ, and that wee are not bound to darke mysteries (say you) in this cleare sun-shine. Ans.
Wee are not bound indeed to any mystery, but to the duty contained in the number of seaven. Yet to the signification of the Sabbath wee are bound, which is not darke but cleare for so the Scripture hath made it to bee in the fourth Hebr. And although this Sabbath was shadowish, yet was it neither of like nature with their other Sabbaths, nor yet with other things whose signification reached to Heaven as well as it.
First I say, it differed from other Sabbaths because it properly signified our rest in Heaven (as wee see in the fourth Hebr. where it alone is mentioned) and they properly our rest on earth by Christ; and therefore were they so many (and it but one and the same from the beginning) to signifie that our rest here was to bee with manifold intermissions and in great variety.
Secondly I say, it also differed from other things whose signification reached to Heaven as well as it: For mostly they had a double signification, the one proper and proximate, as Iewish types, signifying the rest and flourishing prosperity, that the Church should have in the time of the Gospell; the other Analogicall and remote, intimating that in the end, Heaven should bee the accomplishment of our Gospell graces and benefits, like as in the mid way they were the accomplishment of their types and shadowes.*For all the Iewish types being ordained for Christ, must bee fulfilled in and by Christ in the time of grace, which is his time of regiment, by administring grace as now hee doth being our high Priest entered into the holy of holies with blood to make intercession for us, and by compleating grace which hee shall doe hereafter, when asking hee shall come in glory to set us at liberty from all our enemies in that great Iubilee, when the day of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord: and then after that wee have done our part and Christ his, wee shall (a compleate Adam in soule and body and cloathed with perfect innocency) enter into our Masters everlasting rest and joy. But the Sabbath had precedency of these having for its signification properly and adequately one rest in Heaven, and the other abrogative Sabbaths subservient to it for the abrogative part (as appeares by the significant difference of rest that was imposed upon them in the wildernes, as I have else where observed more at large) it being Catholicall and (the) Churches inheritance beginning with it and ending with it; and they being (that) Churches inheritance in like manner receiving their beginning and ending with it.
If it bee objected, that the Sabbath is as much fulfilled on earth as many other Iewish types, for many of them have not their perfect signification accomplished here but in Heaven, (as the Iewish circumcision shall not bee perfected till wee bee in the Kingdome of Heaven) and our everlasting rest hath its inchoation here in the soules of Gods elect, what difference then?
Ans. The difference consisteth in the immediate object which the types primarily and principally eyed. For the Iewish types primarily eyed the happy estate of the Church on Earth under the time of the Gospell, thereby to invite and bring their soules into a Gospell state by beleeving (so that though they are perfectly fulfilled in Heaven, yet they are properly fulfilled on earth) and secondarily or remotely its perfection in Heaven; For the time of the Gospell was (as I may say) properly their Heaven as it may appeare in that it is said, the Prophets and righteous men have desired to see (to wit looking through their types and shadowes) the things that you see &c. Matth. 13. 17 these being their primary and proper object, and as may appeare in the second place by the faultines of their covenant Hebr. 8. 7. and the faultlesnes of the Gospell covenant. But this type of the Sabbath contrarywise primarily and principally eyed the happy estate of the Church in Heaven Hebr. 4. whereby their minds were to bee elevated above the Mannah, that they should partake of on earth, which they must enjoy with paines taking, even to the Mannah which they should feed on in Heaven with rest from all labour, and so is not yet fulfilled neither properly nor perfectly. For wee must note that the Sabbath signified properly Gods rest, or our rest with God, not first Christs rest and then Gods, though by reason of the admixtion of the Gospell in that time of the Law, it signified Gods rest to bee by Christ (as in its succession to Mannah hath beene shewne) I say that properly it signified not Christs rest; neither literally, in respect of the time of the new covenant under the Gospell, wherein we are set free from the burden which neither we nor our Fathers were able to beare, nor spiritually, in the soules of the regenerate freed from the Law (for this their other Sabbaths did in regard this weekely Sabbath could not properly doe it, at that time) though now under the Gospell, the Sabbath-day that attended the Law being done away, this weekely Sabbath now supplieth the place of all their Sabbaths, and now it selfe alone signifies our already entrance into our eternall rest inchoatively, by being possessed of our soules spirituall rest in Christ, a thing which whilest the Law was afoote it could not properly imply; Because the Law gave no present rest but all future, though in the time of the Law (as aforesaid) it was signified to bee made good to us by Christ. Yet it never properly signified the rest of Christ in the soule, for then it had signified a present rest which was contrary to the Law, and is now our priviledge under the Gospell; The Sabbath-day being changed for that end from last to first. For 4. Heb. 3. Wee which have beleved doe enter into rest, where this rest of God is spoken of in a double respect, to wit, as denied to carnall Israel that sought to possesse themselves of it by works, but granted to Gods spirituall Israel that seeke it of Grace through faith, who shall not onelyonly have it here after, but even for present are possessed of it in their soules, which happines the Law or first covenant never could afford.
So that although the Sabbath bee shadowish, yet is it not the Iewes proper freehold but common with them and us, being theirs onelyonly, as they were the elect Church and people of God to whom it universally belongeth, and therefore was instituted even to Adam in innocency. For the Church of God in the clearest state of it never was nor never shall bee upon earth, without shadowish Sacraments and Sabbaths, being her proper inheritance, which were even in innocency, where our eyes were clearer then they are now.
And seeing that the Sabbath is not properly Iewish it cannot bee said to bee abrogated, because the substance is yet not come, which is Heaven it selfe; or our absolute rest and inablement to serve God there; As was signified by that strict rest commanded to the Iewes on this Sabbath in the time of Mannah, above other rests and other Sabbaths; but onelyonly changed, to prove to us that the Gospell estates us in that rest (and that presently) which the Law should, but could not.
And now in our dayes the stricter that wee rest from worldly distractions, and the more sanctifiedly that wee keepe the Sabbath, the nearer wee imitate Gods example,*Who yet on the seaventh day that hee rested, ceased not to cherish and maintaine, all things that hee had made, by his providence, and in necessary and mercifull providence wee are to imitate God on that day as well as in resting. and fulfill his intention in the institution of the Sabbath, and the better wee performe our duty in glorifying God (as the Iewes did in doubling their sacrifices on that day) and the more comfort wee reape to our selves, in lively moralizing thence our heavenly rest which we shall have hereafter, free from all corruptions, interruptions, temptations. *Doing God double service in Heaven, to that wee doe him here.For in proportion all that belong unto the Iewes concerning their resting and sanctifying the Sabbath, belong likewise to us consideratis considerandis.