A Threefold Treatise of the Sabbath, Chapter 5
CHAP. V. In what circuit of time this day hath been kept, to weet, weekly, with the Reaſon thereof.
THere is a time for all things, ſaith Salomon, and nothing foreigncan be done but in time; therefore muſt we needs have a time for the ſervice of Chriſt: which time is to be within the circuit of a week. Saint Chryſoſtome telleth us, from Gen. 2. 3. that God hath inſtructed us to ſet apart one day within the compaſſe of every week for ſpirituall exerciſes: whereto agreeth our Reverend Hooker, ſaying, In his Eccl. Pol. pag. …79.that we are bound to account the ſanctification of one day in ſeven a duty, which Gods immutable Law doth exact for ever. Of this judgement, ſaith Biſhop White, are divers Divines; Cyted by Mr. sprim on the Sab. pag. 17. and 34.many of good note in the Church of God, as Junius on Gen. 2. with others: whereto may be added Learned Zanchius on the fourth Commandment, who ſaith, that one day of ſeven; all men are to conſecrate to the externall worſhip of God. Pope Alexander ſaid, that both the old and new Teſtament Cyted by D. He…inca. 5. p. 2depute the ſeventh day to reſt. Our Church in the Homily of Prayer teacheth us, that Gods will and Commandment was to have a ſolemn and ſtanding day in the week, wherein the people ſhould come together. But what need I ſeek herein for conſent, when the whole Chriſtian Church hath this 1600 yeers kept within this proportion of time: which Cuſtome is a Law; for ſaith Saint Auguſtine, Mos populi Dei & inſtituta S. Aug ep. c. 86.Majorum pro legetenenda ſunt.
Now this obſervation of a day within a week, is from Gods inſtitution before the Law, from the Creation, who Gen. 2.having ſet down the dayes of a week, took one within the Exo. 20.circuit of the week for his publick worſhip, which he alſo commanded his people to obſerve under the Law; both which hath been proved in the two former Treatiſes. Now for the finding of proportion of time, who can better proportion it for himſelf than God himſelf? That is the fitteſt that can be imagined, Nature cannot but acknowledge his wiſdom and goodneſſe in his choyce, ſaith Maſter Dow. Hence is it, no doub…, that Peter Martyr ſaid, that one day of a week be conſecrated pag. 24. 25. In loc. Com. ca 7to Gods worſhip, is an ordinance of perpetuall force: and Reverend Biſhop Lakes confidently averreth, that the ſeventh In his Th…ſis.part of time is Gods ordinance, as everlaſting as the world: for ſaith the ſame Father of our Church, the Lords day onelyonly changeth, but altereth not the portion of time preſcribed Luther. Dieterius on Dom. poſt Trin. Among the Scholemen Iacebus de Valen. and others. St…ll… on Luke 14. Againſt Brab. pag. 151.by the fourth Commandment, by which we are guided to it: Yea ſome have held, that one day in ſeven is the morall part of the Commandment. Sure I am, there is acknowledged an equity in that Law durable for ever, both for a time, as alſo for the conveniency and ſufficiency of time; to which equity it is conſonant, ſaith Learned Biſhop White, that one day in ſeven be an holy day, wherein Chriſtian people ought to reſt, and give themſelves to religious exerciſes: who ſaith further, that the common and naturall equity of that Commandement is morall (to wit) that Gods people are pag. 90:obliged to obſerve a convenient and ſufficient time for publick and ſolemne divine worſhip, and for religious and Eccleſiaſticall duties: And abſtinence from ſecular labour and negotiation, and keeping holy one day of every week, both for mans temporall and naturall refreſhing, and for the spirituall good of his ſoul, is very agreeable both to naturall and religious equity, and it is grounded upon the ancient cuſtom and practiſe of gods people in time of the Law. And we Chriſtians having obtained a larger meaſure of divine grace, and our obligation to ſerve God and Chriſt, upon his heavenly promiſes, being greater than in the time of the Iews: If in thoſe former times of greater darkneſſe the Lords people obſerved a weekely Sabbath day; then ſurely we ſhould be ungratefull, and negligent of our own ſalvation, if we yeld not to God a weekly day, or a ſufficient time for his ſervice as well as the Iews did? Thus you ſee how we agree in the proportion of time, one day in the week, according to Gods deſignation of time, and the equity of the Law.