The Divine Appointment of the Lords Day, Part · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
What other Church Festivals or separated daies are lawful.
I Shall conclude this Discourse with the brief answer of this Question.
I. No sober Christian doubteth, but that some part of every day is to be spent in Religious exercises; And that even our earthly business must be done with a spiritual intent and mind. And that every day must be kept as like to the Lords day, as our weakness, and our other duties, which God hath laid upon us, will allow.
II. Few make any question but the whole dayes of Humiliation and of Thanksgiving may and must be kept upon great and extraordinary occasions, of Judgements or of mercies. And that many Churches may agree in these. And I know no just reason why the Magistrate may not (with Charity and Moderation to the weak) impose them, and command such an agreement among his Subjects.
III. Few doubt but the Commemoration of great Mer…ies or Judgements may be made anniversary, and of long continuance. As the Powder-plot day (Nov. 5.) is now made among us, to preserve the memorial of that deliverance. And why may it not be continued, whilest the great sense of the benefit should be continued? And so the second of Sept. is set apart for the Anniversary humbling remembrance, of the Firing of London. And so in divers other cases.
IV. The great blessing of an Apostolick Ministry, and of the stability of the Martyrs in their sufferings for Christ, being so rare and notable a Mercy to the Church, I confess I know no reason why the Churches of all succeeding ages may not keep an Anniversary day of Thanksgiving to God for Peter or Paul, or Stephen, as well as for the Powder plot-deliverance. I know not where God hath forbidden it, directly or indirectly. If his instituting the Lords day were a virtual prohibition for man to separate any more, or if the prohibition of adding to Gods Word were against it, they would be against other daies of Humiliation and Thanksgiving, especially Anniversarily; which we confess they are not. If the reason be scandal, lest the Men should have the honour instead of God, I Answer, 1. An honour is due to Apostles and Martyrs in their places, in meet subordination to God. 2. Where the case of scandal is notorious, it may become by that accident unlawful, and yet not be so in other times and places.
V. The Devil h…th here been a great Vndoer by Overdoing: When he knew not how else to cast out the holy observation of the Lords day, with zealous people he found out the trick of devising so many dayes called Holy dayes to set up by it, that the people might perceive that the observation of them all as holy, was never to be expected. And so the Lords day was jumbled in the heap of holy dayes, and all turned into Ceremony, by the Papists and too many other Churches in the World. Which became Calvins temptation (as his own words make plain) to think too meanly of the Lords day with the rest.
VI. In the lawful observation of daies, it is most orderly to do as the Churches do which we live among and are to joine with.
VII. But if Church tyranny would overwhelm any place with over-numerous daies (or Ceremonies which are (singly considered) lawful, we should do nothing needlesly to countenance and encourage such usurpation.
VIII. Yet is it lawful to hear a Sermon, which shall be Preached on a humane Holy day, which is imposed by Usurpation. Seeing such a a Moral duty may be done, and so great a benefit received, without any approbation of the inconvenient season.
IX. And when we think it unlawful to joyne in the positive Celebration of unlawful dayes (as the Mahometan Sabbath,) yet it may become a duty for the civil peace and our own safety, to obey the Magistrate in forbearing open opposition or contempt, or working upon that day? And so Paul justifieth himself against the Jews accusations, that they found him not in the Temple disputing with any man, nor raising up the people, nor in the Synagogues, nor in the City, Act. 24. 12. unless it be when we have a special call, to reprove the errour which we forbear complying with.
X. It is long agoe decided by the Holy Ghost, Rom. 14. & 15. that we must not be contentious, contemptuous, nor censorious against one another, about things of no greater moment, than the Jewish dayes were, though some observed them without just cause: Because the Kingdom of God consisteth not in Meats, and Drinks, and Daies, but in righteousness and peaceableness and joy in the Holy Ghost. And he that in these things serveth Christ, is acceptable to God (and received by him) and approved of (wise) men, and should be received to Communion with them, Rom. 14. 17, 18. & 15. 7. We must therefore follow after the things that make for peace, and things wherewith one may edifie another, Rom. 14. 19.
XI. The Controversie, whether it be lawful to separate an Anniversary day for the Commemoration of Christs Nativity, Circumcision and such like things which were equally existent in th… Apostles dayes, and the reason for observing them equal with following times, (and so the Apostles had the same reason to have appointed such dayes had they thought it best, as we have) I acknowledge too hard for me to determine▪ not being able to prove it lawful, I cannot own and justifie it; And not seeing a plain prohibition I will not condemn it, nor be guilty of unpeaceable opposing Church Customes or Authority in it, but behave my self as a peaceable doubter.
XII. But that no earthly power may appoint a weekly day, in commemoration of any part of our Redemption, besides the Lords day, and so make another separated weekly stated Holy day, I think plainly unlawful, Because it is a doing the same thing for one day which God hath done already by another; And so seemeth to me, 1. An usurpation of a power not given, and 2. An accusation of Christ and the Holy Ghost, as if he had not done his work sufficiently, but man must come after and do it better.
But especially if such (or any day or Ceremony) be by an universal Law imposed on the Universal Church, it is arrogant usurpation of the Divine Authority; there being no Vicarious Head or Monarch under Christ of all the World or all the Church, nor any Universal Governour who may exercise such Legislation, whether personal or Collective.
The same I may say of any that would presume to abrogate the Lords day.
And so much shall suffice in great haste of this subject.
And to thee O most Glorious and Gracious Creatour and Redeemer, I humbly return my unfeigned thanks, for the unspeakable mercies which I have received on thy day; And much more for so great a Mercy to all thy Churches and the World: And craving the pardon (among the rest) of the sins which I have committed on thy Day, I beseech thee to continue this exceeding mercy, to thy Churches and to Me; and restore me and other of thy Servants, to the priviledges, and comforts of this Day; which we have forfeited and lost; And let me serve thee in the Life, and Light, and Love of thy Spirit, in these thy Holy Dayes on Earth, till I be prepared for, and received to, the Everlasting Rest in Heavenly Glory, Amen.
Octob. 11. 1670.
FINIS.
AN APPENDIX For further Confirmation of Gods own Separation of the Lords day, and Disproving the Continuation of the Jewish Seventh day Sabbath.
Written since the Treatise went to the Press, upon the Invitations of some latter Objections.
Heb. 7. 12. For the Priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the Law.
2 Cor. 3. 7, 11. But if the Minist…ation of Death, in Letters Engraven in Stones was glorious, &c. If that which was done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
Act. 15. 28. It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us, to lay upon you no greater Bu…den than these necessary things—
Col. 2. 16. Let no man judge you in Mat, or in Drink, or in respect of an Holy day, or of the New Moon, or of the Sabbath, which are a shadow of things to come, but the Body is of Christ.
LONDON, Printed for Nevil Simmons, at the three Crowns near Holborn Conduit. 1671.