The Sabbath Vindicated, Chapter 9
Broad.
CHAP. IX. The Doctrine of the Primitive Church.
AFter the Doctrine of the Primitive Church the fourth Commandement is ceremoniall and abrogated, and for proofe hereof … say,
(1.)
That I have seene many sayings of Fathers and others, shewing this to have been the Doctrine of the Primitive Church, whereof I will set downe some in this place, more may be found in my other books.
Tertull. lib. adversus Iud.
Denique doceant Iudaei, Though the Iewes cannot prove this, yet some Christians can in their imagination.Adam sabbatizasse, &c. Lastly, let the Iewes prove if they can, that Adam, Abel, or Noah kept the Sabbath, or that Melchisedech received the Law of the Sabbath in his Priesthood. But the Iewes will reply and say, since this precept was given by Moses, it was to be observed. It is manifest then that the Law of the Sabbath was not an eternall nor spirituall, but a temporary precept, which at length should cease and have an end. By this and other like sayings in his booke against the Iewes, it may not onelyonly appeare what was Tertullians owne judgement in this matter: But also what was the judgement of the Christian world in his time. If Christians then had bin Sabbath-keepers, Tertullian would not have written as he hath in that booke.
Euseb. hist. lib. 1. cap. 5.
Eusebius there speaking of Adam, Abel, Noah and other godly ancients, hath these words, Nec corporalis itaque circumcisionis rationem hab…erunt, sicut: neque nos▪ nec sabbatorum observantiae quemad…odum …eque …os.
Aug. de spir. & lit. cap. 14
In illis igitur decem praeceptis, excepta Sabbati observatione dicatur, &c. Among the ten Commandements, except the observation of the Sabbath, let any man tell me, what is there that is not to be observed of a Christian, whether of not making or not worshipping Idols, or any other God, besides the onelyonly true God, whether of not taking the name of God in vaine, whether of honouring parents, whether of abstaining from fornication, murder, theft, false witnes-bearing, adultery, and coveting that which is our neighbours. Which of these Commandements*Will any man say that a Christian ought not to observe the fourth Commandement, it seemeth so, and that August. will not gain-say it. will any man say that a Christian ought not to observe. In the 15. Chapter following he tearmeth the fourth Commandement, Praeceptum figuratum, a figurative precept.
Chrysostom. in expos. secund. super Matt. Homil. 49.
Legis iustitia prima, & salutaris, decem habet mandata: Primum cognoscere unum Deum, secundum abstinere ab Idolis, tertium non peierare, quartum colere sabbatum spirituale, quintum, &c.
Note that our fourth Commandement after Chrysost. is to keep a spirituall Sabbath. There are two sorts of Sabbaths, the one literall or carnall, and the other figurative or spirituall, the former belonged to the Iewes, the later to Christians. This I doubt not was the doctrine of the Primitive Church.
(2.)
That I never saw to my remembrance any saying of Father, Councell, Ecclesiasticall writer, cited by any in their Sabbath discourses, whereby it might certainly be gathered, that so much as one learned man in the Primitive Church was ever of other judgement, and took himselfe bound by this Commandement to sanctifie the Lords-day, one day in a weeke, or any day or time whatsoever, note it and search their books.
Answer.
Mr. Cleaver in his booke called the Morality of the Law, hath there given you your answer to this particular objection of the Fathers opinions in this point, where the Reader may see the true meaning of the ancients in this particular, and how Saint Augustine is wronged and perverted by you. I say for plenary satisfaction to the Reader, I refer him in this particular of the Fathers opinion in this point, to peruse these pages of Mr. Cleavers booke aforesaid, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136.
Broad. (3.)
That Mr. Calvin speaking of the fourth Commandement, hath these words ( …nstit. lib. 2. cap. 8. Sect. 28.) Vmbratile veteres nuncupare solent. The ancients (not onelyonly some of the Ancients) accounted it shadowish, not onelyonly partly shadowish. Of what judgement Mr. Calvin was, may partly appeare by that he writeth afterward sect. 34. It a evanescunt nugae Pseudo prophetarum, &c. Dr. Field excepteth the fourth Commandement out of the number of the Morall Commandements. Booke 5. of the Church. Chap. 22. pag. 101.
Answer.
In the beginning of this worke, you gave occasion to manifest Mr. Calvins opinion, and so I did.
As for Dr. Field he doth not except the fourth Commandement from the number of the Morall, but from the number of those that are connaturall with man, and therefore is more subject to change then the rest: His words are these; These Lawes (saith he) are imposed upon men by the very condition of their nature and creation, as the very condition and nature of a man created by God requireth, that he should honour, love, feare, and reverence him that made him, and therefore touching the precepts of the first Table (that concerning the Sabbath excepted) it is cleare and evident that they cannot be altered.
Broad.
Mr. Rogers in his Cathe.A…l 7. propos. 3. Doctrine of the Church of England blameth D. B. for teaching (as contrary to the seventh Article) that the Sabbath was none of the Ceremonies which were justly abrogated at the coming of Christ;Note well what h… writeth, I write no more. againe that the Commandement of sanctifying every seventh day (as in the Mosaicall Decalogue, is naturall, morall, and perpetuall.
Answer.
It is true that Mr. Rog…rs blameth D. B. for teaching that the Sabbath was none of the Ceremonies which were justly abrogated at the coming of Christ, for which he is much to blame himselfe, till he can evince it to be one of them which he doth not.
Broad.
Who so readeth what Mr. Rogers hath written in the Preface to his booke,See the Preface beginning at the …0. Section. shall understand, that I am not the first or onelyonly man that have stirred much in this matter, God grant I be the last that hath need to stir much herein, and that the day of Rest to the Iewes be not the cause of contention among Christians any longer.
The end of the first Treatise.
Answer.
Here you fulfill the Proverbe, you wish all were well so you were not the cause of it, if you may be suffered to speake the last word, you care not, though all keep silent. I did wish (though it be now unseasonable) when I first framed this answer, that it might come to the notice and knowledge of authority, the disturbance of the peace which Mr. Rogers and you have brought into the Church by endeavouring to discover a shamefull nakednesse of contradiction in your Mother, by labouring to set the Articles and the Liturgy at odds one with another: For how cometh it to passe that we are commanded by the church to pray, Lord encline our hearts to keep an abrogated Ceremony of the Iewes, even in her opinion as he and you would have it.
But the contrary is apparent not onelyonly by the Liturgy, but also by the Homily*Of the place and time of prayer, par…. 1. (established and received for the Doctrine of our Church) as you may see it quoted to this very purpose by Mr. Richard … in answer to Mr. Breerowood. He … thus, You come in with the Edicts of Princes as one that would have the Lords-day depend upon the constitutions of the Church, and Edicts of Princes onelyonly, and so not to differ from another Holyday: Most wicked popis… and worse then popish, and against all famous lights ancient and moderne. Or doe you mention Princes Edicts and Churches-Constitutions to glose with ours? Ours de…est your Tenet, and you seeke herein to wound Church and Prince. For how they hold of the Lords day that it is directly grounded on the fourth Commandement, appeareth in the …, in the booke of Homilies, and in the Statutes and godly provisions for redresse of prophanations. This is the doctrine of the Church*Homily of the place and time of prayer, part. 1. pag. 125. By this Commandement (speaking of the fourth) we ought to have a time, as one day in the weeke wherein we ought to rest, yea from all lawfull and needfull works: For like as it appeareth by this Commandement, that no man in the six dayes ought to be slothfull or idle, but diligently to labour in that estate wherein God hath set him, even so God hath given expresse charge to all men that upon the Sabbath-day, which is now our Sunday, they should cease from all weekly and work-day labour, to the intent that like as God himselfe wrought six dayes and rested the seventh, and blessed and sanctified it, and consecrated it to quietnesse and rest from labour: Even so Gods obedient children should use the Sunday holily▪ and rest from their common and daily businesses, and also give themselves wholly to heavenly exercises of Gods true Religion and service. So that God doth not only command the observation of this Holy-day, but also by his owne example doth stirre and provoke us to the diligent keeping of the same Good naturall children will not onelyonly become obedient to the Commandements of their parents, but also have a diligent eye to their doings, and gladly follow the same. So if we will be the children of our heavenily Father, we must be carefull to keep the Christian Sabbath-day, which is the Sunday, not onelyonly for that it is Gods expresse Commandement, but also to declare our selves to be loving children in following the example of our gracious Lord and Father. Thus farre the words of the Homily, which (saith, Mr. …yfeild to Mr. …) Crosseth all that you hold in this your Treatise, and fully speaketh what we hold Consider it.
1. Our Christian Sabbath is Gods expresse Commandement in the fourth precept of the Law enjoyned.
2. That it is given of God in expresse charge to all men.
3. That all men are charged to cease from all weekly and worke-day labour, and rest from common and daily businesses▪ and give themselves wholly to heavenly exercises of Gods true Religion and service.
4. That all this standeth in force upon all men for the Lords-day, from the example of God himselfe, who wrought sixe dayes, and rested the seventh, and blessed and sanctified it, and consecrated it to quietnesse and rest from labour, which example bindeth us to imitation*when the Lord … said the seventh day is the Sabba…h of the Lord, hee enjoyned our Sabbath, which is also the seventh day.
And that this was the proper meaning of our Church, besides the former words, take these that follow in the Homily also, they are these.
This Example and Commandement of God, the godly Christian people began so follow, immediatly after the ascension of our Lord Christ, and began to chuse*From these words (Christain people chose the first day) M. Broad elsewhere …ath argued that the doctrine of our Church granteth the observation of the Lords day to be an Eccl…siasticall ordinance, and not an Apostolical precept, which objection or argument you have fully answered in M. Cleaver his Morality of the Law, pag. 137, &c. whither I refer you. them a standing day of the weeke to come together in, yet not the seventh day, which the Iewes kept, but the Lords-day, the day of the Lords Resurrection, the day after the seventh day, which is the first day of the weeke. Ten times is the sanctifying of the Lords-day in that part of the Homily called the Commandement of God in all meaning no other then the fourth Commandement. Now why should some be bold to say, and be suffered to put forth this wicked doctrine to the casting an aspersion on our famous Church, That to establish the Lords-day upon the fourth Commandement is to encline too much to Iudaisme. This also layeth the like aspersion on the Scottish Church,*Preface of the assembly at …. which teacheth that the sanctification of the Lords-day is of diuine institution, as well by reason of the divine precept commanding the seventh day in generall to be observed, as of the practise of Christ, which hath the force of a divine precept.