A Threefold Treatise of the Sabbath, Section 27 – Notice
SECTION XXVII. Of Judaizing, and true underſtanding thereof.
IT pleaſed ſome to taxe others of Judaiſme concerning the Sabbath day. And why of Judaiſme? know they why? Judaiſme was from the Jews, but the Sabbath was long before this name became peculiar to a ſingle tribe in Iſrael, Judah ſo called. Seeing they faſten, as they muſt, Judaiſme upon the Jews, let us ſee (after this Tribe, was ſeparated from the ten tribes of Iſrael) how they did Sabbatize; for ſo we ſhall behold their Judaiſme, that we may judge with righteous judgement. For the better underſtanding hereof, let us conſider the Jews as before Chriſts coming, when he was come, and afterwards in the times following. Of theſe we muſt have a twofold conſideration, as faultleſſe, or faulty.
1. As Faultleſſe, this is no Judaizing, for in our diſcourſe its taken in ill part. They ever held, and do hold the fourth Commandment, perpetuall: and ſo ought we as is before proved. They held the ſeventh day Sabbath from the Creat…on, which they had a warrant from God to do till the Reſurrection of Chriſt: ſo farre faultleſſe without Judaizing in an ill ſenſe.
As faulty and thus,
I. Before the coming of Chriſt we ſhall read, that they were,
1. Obſervers of the Sabbath in a bare reſt, from ſervile work, but then doing their own waies, finding their own pleaſures, not delighting themſelves in the Lord, nor labouring for Self-denyall on that day: Of this their Sabbatizing, the Prophet Iſaiah ſpeaketh, who herein laboured to reform them, Iſai. 58. 13, 14.
2. Great prophaners of the Sabbath, as appeareth by the Prophets complaints, Jer. 17. 27. Ezech. 20. 13, 16, 21, 24, and 22. 8. By Gods puniſhing of them, driving them out of their Land as Captives, for tbe breach of the Sabbath, 2 Chron. 36. 21. as God had threatned, Levit. 26. 34, 35. By the Story in Nebe. 13. 15, 18. where Nehemiah telleth them, that the prophaning of the Sabbath was the ſin of their Fathers, and the evill of their captivity befell them for it. Now who with us do ſo Judaize, and Sabbatize both theſe wayes, let the world judge.
II. At Chriſts coming, we may read
That the Jews ceaſing from ſuch former prophaneſſe, now were become groſly ſuperſtitious, not allowing ſuch things to be done, as might be lawfully done, without the breach of the fourth Commandement, as in former inſtances are cleared: This fooliſh ſuperſtition our Saviour confuted by word, and by his works. And therefore none of ſound judgement with us do ſo Sabbatize; our onelyonly care is to obſerve the Commandement, as the godly Jews did, ſhewed in the former 26 Section, and as the holy reſt requireth in keeping the day holy, as ſet apart for holy ends, without putting any holineſſe in the day it ſelf.
III. After Chriſts Aſcenſion: and his Kingdome erected, the Jews did faulty in their Sabbatizing:
1. In obſerving the Seventh day from the Creation, which was at that time out of date; and now not to be obſerved of any Chriſtian, if any do, theſe be Sabbatarians, and do properly Judaize, and not others.
Its a foul ſin, to belye and ſlander men, and to brand them with names of reproach falſly.
2. In carnally keeping the Sabbath, as the Imperiall Edict of Charles the Great doth ſpeak, for theſe kept it in idleneſſe, in dancing and revelling: See Ignatius, in his Epiſtle to the Magn. St. Auguſtine de conſenſu Evangelist. lib. 2. cap. 77.
This Jewiſh Sabbatizing, let thoſe be blamed for, who are guilty, and the fault be where it is. Thus much for the Moſaicall Sabbath.
FINIS.
A Large TREATISE OF THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH, THE LORDS DAY;
alſo now commonly called SUNDAY.
By Richard Bernard Rectour of Batcombe.
Wee ought to doe all things for the truth, but nothing againſt it; for hee that ſtriveth againſt the truth, ſtriveth againſt God: for God is truth.
Let every friend of Chriſt obſerve the Lords day, Ignatius in Ep. ad Magneſ. In the honour of Chriſt his Reſurrection Clem. Rom. Conſt. lib. 7. cap. 24.
LONDON, Printed by R. Biſhop for Edward Blackmore at the ſigne of the Angel in Pauls Church-yard.
The Contents of this Treatiſe.
Chapter 1. THe Preface, ſhewing wherein wee generally conſent and agree in one.
Chap. 2. Of the title of Lords day, and of the name Sunday.
Chap. 3. Of the name Sabbath given to this our Lords day or Sunday.
Chap. 4. Of the Reaſons why it may be ſo called, without offence.
Chap. 5. In what circuit of time this day hath beene kept, to wit, weekly, with the Reaſon thereof.
Chap. 6. Of the firſt day of the week, that it is the Lords day, and alſo the ſeventh day.
Chap. 7. Of the time when this firſt day began to be the Lords day, and upon what ground.
Chap. 8. Of the divers opinions concerning the beginning and ending of the Lords day: and wherein Conſcience may reſt it ſelfe.
Chap. 9. The authority is divine by which it was eſtabliſhed.
Chap. 10. It is of divine authority from Chriſt himſelfe.
Chap. 11. Of ſome Objections which may be made againſt it, anſwered.
Chap. 12. That this day cannot be changed.
Chap. 13. Of the honourable eſteeme of this our Lords day, and that it is to be preferred before all other feſtivall dayes.
Chap. 14. This day is to be kept holy, and the whole day too.
Chap. 15. How this day is to bee kept holy, morally, as the ancient Sabbath was kept.
Chap. 16. How our Lords day was kept in the Apoſtles dayes and the Primitive times.
Chap. 17. How our Church would have our Sunday kept holy.
Chap. 18. How Chriſtian Emperours would have it kept by their Imperiall Conſtitutions.
Chap. 19. How it was to be kept by the Edicts of Chriſtian Kings in this our Kingdome.
Chap. 20. How our late Soveraigne King James, and now our King Charles would have it obſerved.
Chap. 21. What Councells and Synods have decreed touching the obſervation of this day.
Chap. 22. What Popes, the Canon Law, Archibiſhops, Biſhops, and other learned men have ſaid concerning the hallowing of this day.
Chap. 23. God would have our Lords day religiouſly obſerved, and not to be prophaned.
Chap. 24. Of exemplary judgements immediate from God, againſt the prophaners of the Lords day.
Chap. 25. Of exemplary judgements mediate from God, againſt the prophaners of the Lords day.
Chap. 26. Of examples of caſuall judgements, againſt the prophaners of the Lords day.
Chap. 27. Of objections which may be, or are made againſt the producing of judgements in this caſe, with anſwers thereto.
Chap. 28. Of the ſerious ponderation of theſe things.
Chap. 29. Concerning ſports unlawfull at all times, much more on the Lords day; and why ſports lawfull at other times, are on this day to be forborne; with ſome objections made, and anſwers to the ſame.
It is the ſaying of S. Auguſtine. Bonum eſt homini, ut eum veritas vineat volentem, Epiſt. 174.
To this agreeth a learned mans ſentence. Satius foret, à veritate vinci nos, quàm contra veritatem vincere poſſe alium. Bucerus.
Author igitur hujus Tractatus, quodcunque in co ſcripſit ut veritatis ſincerè ſtudioſus pro veritate, non ut contentioſus quicquam contra veritatem ſcripſit.