Remains, Part 7
OF THE SABBATH.
Exod. 20.8.
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it Holy.
THAT which I intend to ſpeak concerning the Sabbath at this time, I will caſt into theſe Propoſitions:
Propoſit. 1. A ſet time for worſhip.The Firſt is this, That there muſt be ſome ſet time for the Worſhip and immediate Service of God.
Now the Reaſon why there muſt be ſome ſet time for Gods immediate Worſhip, is,
Reaſ. 1 Firſt, Becauſe all Actions cannot be done at once, but by ſucceſſion; firſt one, and then another: for a man to perform the duties of Gods Worſhip in an inſtant, and to get down the knees of body and ſoul before his Maker in an inſtant, this cannot be. Eccleſ. 3.1. There is an appointed time for every Action under the Sun: Then if there be a time for all actions, ſurely there muſt be a time for the Worſhip of God.
Reaſ. 2 Secondly, There muſt be a ſet time; Becauſe ſuch is our dulneſs in the duties of Gods Worſhip, that we had need to have times ſet apart for Gods Worſhip; there is a great deal of ado required to fix a mans Thoughts upon heaven, to have a fixed apprehenſion of the Preſence of God, theſe do not only require time, but a great deal of time.
Propoſ. 2. Some ſet time for worſhip every day.Secondly, The Second Propoſition is this, That as there muſt be ſome time for Gods immediate Worſhip, and Service; ſo there muſt be ſome ſet time every day, all the dayes of our lives; there muſt be ſome defined and determinate time for Worſhip of God every day, at the leaſt morning and evening. David, though he were employed in great affairs, yet he had three times a day to glorifie God in, in his holy Ordinances; Three times in the day will I praiſe thee, Pſal. 55.17.
The Reaſon of this is, Becauſe men live like Beaſts without daily invocation Reaſ. 1 upon God, 2 Chron. 13.10, 11. Abijah there ſpeaking againſt Jeroboam the King of Iſrael, though himſelf had no great goodneſs in him, he ſaith, The Lord is our God, and we offer ſacrifices, and burn ſweet incenſe every day; Every day they did it; as who ſhould ſay, it were a ſign that God were not amongſt us, if we did not this: he takes it as a principle written in the conſcience, though he were a natural man, yet he doth reaſon thus, that where there is not every day ſome time for Gods Worſhip, God is not amongſt them.
Another Reaſon is, Becauſe every morning God reneweth his Mercies, Reaſ. 2 and every evening they are continued to us, as the Church ſaith in the Lamentations, ch. 3.23. Every morning his mercies are renewed to us, and in the evening his compaſſions fail not; therefore every morning we are to ſet our ſelves before God, to ask of him the forgiveneſſe of our ſins; every morning and evening we are to do this. Pſal. 92.1, 2. David ſaith, It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, to ſing praiſes to thy Name, O thou moſt High; To ſhew forth thy loving kindneſs in the morning, and thy faithfulneſs every night.
And then again God is the Alpha, and Omega, he is the beginning, and Reaſ. 3 the ending of all things, and of all actions we do; God ſhould therefore have the beginning and ending of every day, that the Worſhip of God may have the ſtart of all other actions; it is neceſſary it ſhould be ſo: when a man firſt awakes in the morning, God ſhould be the firſt thought that ſhould come into his mind; As David ſaith, Pſal. 5.3. My voice will I lift up unto thee in the morning; as ſoon as ever he awakes in the morning, his heart is lifted up to God: ſo it is good for a man to make the firſt part of the day holy, that the reſt of the day may be thereafter: and ſo as we are to begin the day with the ſolemn Worſhip of God, ſo we are to end it in the evening, that we may reckon up all our accounts, and make even with God; as the Apoſtle ſaith, Epheſ. 4.26. Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath: ſo let not the Sun go down upon a dead heart, upon a carnal heart, upon a worldly heart; but as the Sun goeth down upon our bodies, ſo let the Sun of Righteouſneſs ſet upon our hearts, that we may lye down in peace, having all our reckoning made even, and all ſcores cancelled.
The Third Propoſition is this, As there muſt be ſome time for Gods immediate Service, and there muſt be every day ſome ſet time,Propoſ. 3. Every day in ſome ſort a Sabbath. at leaſt morning and evening, ſo likewiſe every whole day, all the dayes of our lives, ſhould be in ſome manner a Sabbath day to the Lord, we ſhould be holy every day; The Apoſtle finds fault, Gal. 4.10. That they obſerved times, and ſeaſons, and dayes, and months, and years; we muſt not be earthly-minded one day, and heavenly-minded another; but we muſt be every day holy to the Lord.
The Firſt Reaſon is, The Covenant which God hath made with us doth Reaſ. 1 require it: that is the end why God ſaves a man from his ſins, and brings him into the kingdom of Chriſt, he takes a ſolemn Oath from him, That being delivered from the hands of his enemies, he ſhall ſerve him without fear, Luk. 1.74, 75.in holineſs and righteouſneſs all the dayes of his life: Every day muſt be a Sabbath day, whenſoever a man gives himſelf up to God, there is an Oath hangs upon him, and he breaks this Oath, if he ſet not upon it with all his might, that every day may be a Sabbath day; he is to be careful to live godly, and religiouſly in all places, and at all times, and in every action he puts his hand unto; a man is not only to make conſcience on the ſeventh day, but every day of his life.
Reaſ. 2 The Second Reaſon is, Becauſe not to make every day an holy day, is the brand of an Hypocrite, it is hypocriſie, Job. 27.10. Will be alwayes call upon God? To be holy ſometimes, and not at another time, is the trick of an hypocrite; will he alwayes call upon God, will that man alwayes obey God and worſhip him, will he alwayes ſet himſelf to keep cloſe with God? No, an hypocrite will not do ſo. You may know an hypocrite, he hath his fits, and his pangs, and his moods; but a godly man, a ſincere hearted man, is one that doth compoſe himſelf to keep a conſtant courſe in Gods worſhip; as Act. 24.16. There ſaith Paul, Herein do I exerciſe my ſelf to keep a good conſcience alwayes, both towards God and towards man: And as it was the practiſe of Paul, ſo of all the Elect people of God, of all ſincere Chriſtians in the world, Act. 26.27. all the Elect of God, all the beloved of God, they did inſtantly ſerve God day and night.
Thirdly, Becauſe bleſſedneſſe doth conſiſt in this, In keeping every day Reaſ. 3 in ſome kind as a Sabbath day, as the Holy Ghoſt doth pronounce him bleſſed, that feareth the Lord alwayes, Prov. 28.14. and that doth righteouſneſs at all times, Pſa. 106.3. It is true, the Servants of God are ſometimes out of the way, they have their ſwervings and failings, but their reſolution is to keep a conſtant courſe in Gods Worſhip, and they do ſtrive to humble themſelves under the hand of God for their failings, and to be the more wary becauſe of them.
Reaſ. 4 Laſtly, This is the Sum and Scope of all the Law of Righteouſneſs; it is the very drift and end of all the Ten Commandements, the Lord hath ſet down in the Decalogue his whole Will and Pleaſure, what we are to do all the dayes of our lives, this day, and that day, as long as we live; and there is no ſet time, but that we ſhould alwayes obey it; and this is the practiſe of the godly, alwayes to keep his Commandments, as David, Pſal. 16.8. He ſet the Lord alwayes before him; that is, every day he did make it an holy day, that he might walk as in Gods preſence, and live as in Gods Courts, that he might do all his worldly buſineſſe as in the preſence of God.
Propoſ. 4. A particular ſpecial day for Gods worſhip.The Fourth Propoſition is this, As there muſt be a ſet time every day, and we are to keep every day as a Sabbath day in ſome ſenſe, ſo there muſt be a particular ſpecial day, ſet apart for Gods immediate Worſhip and Service: This is the next Propoſition I will prove unto you; for though every day is to be a Sabbath day, yet we have particular callings, and we have buſineſſe in the world to employ our ſelves about, ſo that we cannot be every day hearing of the Word, and employing our ſelves in Prayer and ſpiritual exerciſes; though every day we are to keep it holy, yet we cannot be vacant wholly and totally every day; Now therefore I ſay, That there is a ſet day that the Lord hath called for to be devoted unto him: The very School-men themſelves do acknowledge this, and the very Heathen have found it out; They have ſet a day apart for the Service of their Gods, which they call their holy day, wherein they lay aſide all other buſineſſe, and ſet themſelves apart to honor and worſhip their Images and Idols, according to their manner. Now I will make this good by many Arguments, that God will have a ſet day, beſides the every day Sabbath, he will have a ſet particular Sabbath for his Worſhip and Service.
Reaſ. 1 The Firſt Reaſon is, Becauſe he will have a little emblem and picture of the kingdom of heaven among his Saints and Children in this life; in the kingdom of heaven there is no buying and ſelling, no eating and drinking, no worldly buſineſſe, there is nothing but prayſing and glorifying of God, and ſpeaking of God, and ſinging of Halelujah unto his holy Name; there is nothing but enjoying communion with the Lord, and feeding upon him continually, there is nothing but this in the kingdom of heaven; Now God will have a little picture of this among his Saints here upon earth: You know there remains a reſt for the people of God, Heb. 4.9. It is an expreſs place, the word in the Original is, There remains a Sabbath for the people of God. As who ſhould ſay, There is a glorious Sabbath that all the Elect of God ſhall have, and they are preſerved for it, and that is reſerved for them, and they ſhall enter into it, when this body of death is laid down, and they ſhall enjoy God face to face, to all eternity, they ſhall behold him as he is, and have communion with him; now the Lord will have a little picture of this here in this life; we cannot have it altogether in this life, for we have mortal bodies, that muſt be fed, and cloathed, and ſtand in need of the creature; for mans ſin is not yet purged away, but there is a great deal of rubbiſh ſtill left, therefore this cannot be complete here: but yet God will have a little picture or this, even in this life, and that is the Sabbath day, wherein they are to lay aſide all the works of their ordinary callings, and reſt from all ſervil labours, this is Gods day, and we muſt now call upon him, and hear what he ſaith, and wholly employ, and occupy our ſelves about him, as neer as we poſſibly can; but now, this we cannot do every day, for we have Children to look after, and Families to provide for, and there be an hundred occaſions to call a man away; it may be a man thinks to go into his Cloſet, and ſeek God in private, and one occaſion or other calls him aſide, that he cannot go on; but the Lord will have a little emblem and expreſſion of the kingdom of heaven upon the Sabbath day: therefore the Apoſtle ſaith, It remains for us, ſcil. in the life to come.
The Second Reaſon, why the Lord will have a ſet day for his Worſhip and Reaſ. 2 Service beſides the every day Sabbath, is becauſe the honour of God doth ſo require, it doth require that there ſhould be a ſolemn day for Gods Service; as Kings, though their ſubjects are to obey them every day, and keep their Laws every day, and if a ſubject tranſgreſs the Laws at any time, he is in danger of the diſpleaſure of the King; but he will have one day of ſolemnity to his Majeſty: So God Almighty, though every day we are to tremble before him, and ſtand in aw of his Word, and take heed we do not err from his Commandments, yet he will have one ſolemn day for the honour of his Name, he will have a ſolemn day; wherein his people ſhall have nothing elſe to do, but to ſet themſelves apart for his Worſhip; therefore this ſet day is called, The honourable of the Lord, Iſa. 58.13. that is, we muſt count the Sabbath day an honourable day, a day of honour, wherein Gods Servants ſhould from morning to evening fall down before him, and confeſs that great is the Lord God: We ſhould wholly dedicate it unto him, ſeeking of him in Publick and in Private, that we may ſtore up holy affections for all the week following.
Thirdly, Becauſe God ſometimes calls for an extraordinary day, and an Reaſ. 3 extraordinary day hath ever relation to an ordinary; if I ſay this is my extraordinary food and diet, I imply that I have ordinary diet: ſo if the Scripture tells us that God calls for extraordinary dayes, it is an evident Argument, that there be ordinary dayes which he calls for.
Now that God calls for extraordinary dayes, it is plain,
1. Firſt, He calls for extraordinary dayes of rejoycing; when God compaſſeth us about with ſongs of Deliverance, and works wonderful Mercies for us, we ought to ſet a part a day for rejoycing, and delighting in his goodneſs and favour towards us, and this day is to be an holy day, as Nehemiah 8.9. This day is holy unto the Lord your God, mourn not, nor weep; So that when we are to rejoyce towards God for any ſpiritual favour towards us, we ought to keep this day an holy day, we ought to employ the hours of the day in labouring to affect our hearts with his kindneſſe, and labouring to make his goodneſs to have impreſſion upon us, that we may with cheerfulneſs run over all our dayes afterwards, that we may adhere unto him the better all our life time.
2. Secondly, As he calls for extraordinary dayes of rejoycing, ſo he calls for extraordinary dayes of Faſting and Humiliation, and that in Four Caſes.
1. Firſt, When we fear ſome heavie judgement to come upon us, or elſe when ſome judgement is already upon us: may be ſome heavie judgement is upon us, or elſe we fear it to come upon us, and now we are to ſet an extraordinary day apart to ſeek the Lord, as 2 Chron. 20. Jehoſaphat proclaimed a Faſt, when the Land was in danger: Suppoſe the Lord ſhould take away the Goſpel, and the feet of thoſe that bring glad tydings ſhould be turned from us, then ſhould we Faſt in thoſe dayes, we ſhould grieve before God, and bewail the loſs of his Mercies and Favours; that we may have his Goodneſſe to quicken us, and keep us, and uphold us in the want of them.
2. Secondly, In caſe that we want ſome Mercy that we cannot well be without, in ſuch a caſe as this, if ordinary ſeeking will not do the deed, we ought to ſet apart an extraordinary time to prevail with God; as Ezra, he was in danger of the enemy, and if he ſhould go to Jeruſalem, the enemy would ſet upon him; now, thought he, if I ſhould go to the King, though he were very great with the King of Perſia, at that time, yet thought he, if I ſhould go to the Kigng for a Band of Souldiers, he would think our God were a weak God; I have told him what a ſtrong God we have, and that he is ready to help all thoſe that truſt in him; now if I ſhould go to him for a Band of Souldiers, he might think that our God were not able to deliver us, and it would be a great diſhonour to God; therefore he ſet a day apart for a Faſt, and laboured to get aid and help from heaven, Ezra 8.21. So when a Child of God is exceedingly afflicted with any croſſe or temptation, and he ſhall wonderfully diſhonour God, and caſt a ſnare upon them that fear his Name, in this caſe he is bound to ſeek God extraordinarily, and if the ordinary means that God hath appointed will not prevail, he is to ſet a part a Faſt to ſeek him extraordinarily.
3. Thirdly, If we be aſſaulted from hell, and Satan, and our own hearts, with ſtrong temptations, then we are to ſeek God extraordinarily; as it was with Paul, when the Meſſenger of Satan was ſent to buffet him, when he lay under ſome heavy temptation, either unto Pride, or Luſt, or Uncleanneſſe, ſome prick in the fleſh, that the Lord ſent upon him, and let him be encountered withal; then Paul ſought God in a ſolemn manner, more then ever he did at other times, 2 Cor. 12.8. For this I beſought God thrice.
4. Fourthly, In caſe a man is to do ſome notable ſervice, he is to enter into ſome new Calling; or if the Lord doth put him upon ſome new ſervice, that doth require ſome more then ordinary help, now a man is to ſeek God by Faſting and Prayer, as you may ſee it was with Barnabas and Paul when they entred into the Miniſtery, Acts 13.3. Now the reaſon why I name theſe things is to ſhew you, that ſometimes God will have an extraodinary ſet day for his immediate worſhip and ſervice, when we are to lay aſide all other buſineſſe, and ſet our ſelves apart, to call upon his Name, and ſeek him. The thing I gather from hence is this, If there be an extraordinary ſet day, then there muſt be an ordinary ſet day for Gods immediate Service.
Another Argument is taken from the Equity of it, and that ſtands Two wayes:
1. Firſt, It is very equal when as we have ſix dayes to provide for our Reaſ. 4 ſelves, and for the maintenance of our bodies: God gives us divers dayes for that; now Equity doth require that we ſhould give one day to him, we having ſeveral dayes; it is equity that he ſhould have at leaſt one for himſelf: Therefore this doth aggravate our ſins exceedingly, if we give not this day to God. Did not this aggravate the ſin of Adam, in eating of the forbidden fruit? in that God gave him liberty to eat freely of all other trees in the garden, and forbad him only the eating of that one? Now what excuſe could Adam have for not abſtaining from that one? So here, God having given us divers dayes for the good of our bodies, and for means and maintenance of the things of this life; duty requires, that we ſhould not touch Gods day, nor ſet our foot upon it, nor turn our eyes away from it, we ought to remember it; as Joſeph ſaid in regard of his Miſtris, when ſhe enticed him to folly; mark how he anſwers the temptation; My Maſter hath put all things into my hands that are in the houſe, he hath with-hold nothing from me but only thee his Wife, and that is equal, and reaſonable, how therefore ſhall I do this great wickedneſs, and ſin agaiſt God? Gen. 39.9. So ſhould we ſay, when we are tempted to break the Lords day, we ſhould ſay, The Lord hath not impoſed any day beſides, the Lord hath given us all the ſix daies for our uſe, how therefore ſhall I do this great wickedneſſe, and ſin againſt God with worldly thoughts, and ſpeeches, and actions upon that day? It ſtands with very good equity that it ſhould be ſo.
2. Secondly, It ſtands with equity, in regard of our Souls; if our bodies which are the worſer part, have ſeveral dayes for their uſe, then how much more ſhould the ſoul have one day, which is a thouſand times more worth then the body? You know what Chriſt ſaith, What will it profit a man to gain the whole world, and loſe his own ſoul? Matth. 16.26. Our ſouls are more worth then our bodies, and we have more need to ſeek out for Holineſſe and Grace for them, and to be well provided for in regard of them, then for any thing in this preſent world; if we want meat; we can but ſtarve; if we want cloaths, we can but famiſh; if we want outward things, we can but temporally periſh; but if we want Grace and the Favour of God, we periſh for ever. Now if there be ſix dayes allowed for the good of our bodies, how much more ſhould we be willing to have one day for the good of our ſouls, ſpecially conſidering what need we have thereof? This Argument our Saviour Chriſt uſeth to prove the Sabbath, Mark 2.27. The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath: The Sabbath was made for man, as meat was made for the body; and a man cannot be without food, no more can the ſoul be without the Sabbath; ſo that we ſee, there muſt be a ſolemn day ſet a part for Gods Worſhip and Service.
The Fifth, Propoſition is this,Propoſ. 5. One day of Seven to be ſet apart for Gods worſhip. That as there muſt be a ſet day for Gods Worſhip and Service, ſo this day muſt be one of ſeven, not one of eight, or nine, or five, or four, but one of ſeven; and this, though it be not naturally moral, yet it is poſitively moral, though it be not natural, written in the heart of man, as a man: if he had no teaching, his conſcience would find out that he ſhould not be idle, and ſteal, commit murther; the Conſcience will grope out theſe Ordinances and Statutes of God; and the Conſcience will find out that there muſt be a ſet day for Gods Worſhip and Service; the light of nature will find out that, but that it muſt be one day of ſeven, that it cannot find out; but I ſay, that it is the poſitive law of God, that it muſt be one of ſeven.
Reaſ. 1 Now, Becauſe it is not written in the heart of man, but in the Commandment of God poſitively delivered to us, and required of us; I can give no other Reaſon for it, but only the reaſon taken out of the Scripture; there can be no reaſon taken from the judgment of man, as other Lawes, the very law of Reaſon will enforce them; but there can be no other reaſon for this, but only out of the Word of God. The Lord hath commanded, ſix dayes thou ſhalt labour, and being his Will, it muſt be performed; for God might require ſix dayes for himſelf, and leave us but one day; God might have ordained it ſo; but God intending we ſhould live by the ſweat of our brows, the Lord was pleaſed to allow us ſix dayes; now he giving us ſix dayes, doth reſerve unto himſelf one of ſeven.
Reaſ. 2 Secondly, Another Reaſon is this, As the Lord hath commanded this ſeventh day, ſo he ſaith it is his day, The ſeventh day, is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; Now then if the ſeventh day be the Sabbath of the Lord our God, then we muſt not divert any of the hours, or any part of the day away; when our minds run into the world, we muſt curbe them and remember that the ſeventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord our God.
Reaſ. 3 Thirdly, Another Reaſon is, That our Cattel, and Servants, and Children, may reſt as well as our ſelves, they are to labour ſix dayes, and one of ſeven they are to reſt.
Reaſ. 4 Another Reaſon is, Becauſe he hath ſanctified it; therefore the Lord bleſſed the ſeventh day, and hallowed it: Now then, if the Lord hath ſanctified the ſeventh day, and appointed it, if he hath ſet it apart for that purpoſe, for ſpiritual employments, and not to be filled up with any thing elſe, we are guilty of Sacriledge, if we do not give him this, as Levit. 27.28. the Lord ſaith, Whatſoever is devoted unto the Lord, that is moſt holy unto him; now God ſaith, he hath devoted the ſeventh day to himſelf, therefore we are to keep it holy: Nebuchadnezzar, a very heathen, when he knew that the Veſſels came out of the Temple of the Lord, he would not employ them to a common uſe, Dan. 1.2. He put them into the houſe of his god; which was the holieſt place he had.
Reaſ. 5 Fifthly, This is neceſſary, becauſe we are apt to be worldly, and carnal, and non-reſident from Prayer, and from the Word, and ſerious humbling of our ſelves before God, if we be never ſo little taken off; how ſuddenly do our minds cleave unto the world, and grow vain, and unfit, and diſtempered? Now if God ſhould not once in ſeven dayes, have a day to take us off from the world; as ſix dayes are employed in worldly affairs, ſo if there were not a ſeventh day to take us off, there would be no hoe with us; therefore there muſt be a whole day to accuſtom us, and habituate us to the Service of God, otherwiſe we ſhould drown our ſelves in the world.
Propoſ. 6. That day of the ſeven to be kept holy, on which God reſted.The Sixth Propoſition is this, That as it muſt be one of ſeven, ſo it is not indifferent which of the ſeven dayes we keep holy, but it muſt be that day whereupon God reſted, therefore it hath the name of a Sabbath; Sabbath is nothing but reſt: The reaſon of the name is Two-fold, Firſt, Becauſe God reſted upon that day; And Secondly, Becauſe we are to reſt upon that day.
Propoſ. 7. All that is in the Fourth Commandment, is not eſſential to it.The Seventh Propoſition is this, That all that is in the fourth Commandment, is not eſſential to the Commandment: the fourth Commandment delivers only theſe Two things, Firſt, That God will have a ſeventh day; Secondly, That this ſeventh day is to be the day of Gods reſt: This is the whole meaning of the fourth Commandment: now all other particulars in the fourth Commandment, are not eſſential to the fourth Commandment; as that God made Heaven and Earth in ſix dayes, and reſted the ſeventh day, &c. It is not eſſential to the fourth Commandment, but becauſe at that time when God delivered the Decalogue, there was no greater work then the… Creation; and the reſt from that work, was the reſt from the greateſt work in the world; thee fore it was kept upon the laſt day of the week, upon which God reſted from the Creation: Now the meaning of the fourth Commandment, is in the eighth Verſe; all the other particulars, are but Commentaries to open it to the Jewes, Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy; this is the fourth Commandment: The Sabbath, that is, the day that God reſted on, and the day that we are to reſt upon: this is the holy day that is devoted to the Lord; now it was kept upon the laſt day of the week, becauſe God created heaven and earth, and reſted upon that day; and the Creation of heaven and earth was the greateſt work that God then had done.
But then you will ſay, Why doth the Commandment ſay, QueſtThat in ſix dayes God created Heaven and Earth, and reſted the ſeventh day?
I Anſwer,Anſw. 1. It is no ſtrange thing; to ſee ſome things in the Commandments which are not eſſential to them, becauſe the Commandments were delivered to the Jewes: though they concern the whole world, yet the perſons, that actually ſtood before God, when the Decalogue was delivered, were only the Jewes, Deut. 5.22. God ſpake to the Jewes; now no wonder, that God, ſpeaking to the Jews, did ſpeak divers particulars according to them, and in their phraſe, which if we had been alive, and they to ſucceed us, God would have ſpoken according to us, as he did according to them.
2. Secondly, We ſee plainly, there are ſome things in the Commandments, which do not concern the whole world, but only the Nation of the Jewes, as in the firſt Commandment, I have brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, out of the houſe of Bondage: [Thou ſhalt have no other gods but me:] That is the Commandment; but though they, together with the other, were put into the Tables of Stone, yet it concerns only the Jewes. 'Tis true indeed, it is a type of our deliverance, that we are delivered from Hell, and Sin, and Satan, as they were delivered out of Egypt, and the houſe of Bondage; but literally theſe words belong only to the Jews; and the Commandment is this, Thou ſhalt have no other gods but me; So it is for the fourth Commandment.
Again, There is ſomething in the Fifth Commandment, that doth not concern us, but only them; Honour thy Father and thy Mother, &c. [That thy dayes may be long in the Land which the thy God giveth thee] that belongs only to the Jews, it is meant particularly of the land of Canaan. This then is the effect of the Commandment, Honour thy Father and thy Mother, that thy dayes may be long in the Land of Canaan. So that the firſt words are the Commandment, and the later part belongs only to the Jewes: So Deut. 5.14. the Fourth Commandment, it was put into the Tables of Stone thus, Remember the ſeventh day to keep it holy, for the ſeventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou ſhalt do no manner of work, thou; nor thy Son, nor thy Daughter, &c. that thy man-ſervant, and thy maid-ſervant may reſt as well as thou; that belongs to us, as well as to them, but then it follows, Remember thou wert a ſervant in the Land of Egypt: Here you ſee the Jewes have another Argument, beſides the Arguments that we have; but though we have not that Argument, yet the Commandment ſtands ſtill, and the Commandment is only thus much; namely, That there muſt be a Seventh day, and that ſeventh day God reſted upon: now whereas the Jewes kept the laſt day of the week, that was only by a temporary Commandment, becauſe the making of heaven and earth, was the greateſt thing that God had then done, and God reſted from that upon that day; but now if God work a greater work then the Creating of heaven and earth, and reſt from that, then by vertue of the fourth Commandment, we are to keep that day holy, upon which he reſted from that work.
Propoſ. 8. The 4th Commandment continual, alwayes to abide in the Church.Now I come to the Eighth Propoſition, That this Fourth Commandment, concerning a Sabbath day, concerning the keeping of a Seventh day holy, is a continual Commandment, alwayes to abide in the Church of God; I will prove it by divers Arguments, that it was not to continue only in the time of the Jewes, but it is to abide alwayes in the Church to the coming of the Son of man; there is not a jot of Ceremony in the fourth Commandment.
Reaſ. 1 The Firſt Reaſon is, Becauſe God did inſtitute the Sabbath before there was any room for Ceremonies; it was commanded to Adam in his Innocency: Now all Ceremonies did prefigure Chriſt; and before Adam fell, there was no Promiſe of the Seed of the Woman, nor no need of it, and ſo no need of a Figure to repreſent it; but before Adam fell, the Sabbath was preſcribed, Gen. 2.2, 3. On the ſeventh day God reſted from all that he had made, ſo that God bleſſed the ſeventh day and ſanctified it: So that you ſee God having reſted upon this day, he ſanctified it, and put holineſs upon it; therefore we are not to name that Common, which he hath named Holy; now though we do not read of Adams keeping this day, nor Abels, nor Enochs, nor Noahs, nor Abrahams, nor Iſaacs, nor Jacobs; yet it doth not follow it was not kept: for Moſes doth not take in hand to ſet down the actions of the Fathers, but only generally; for you ſee what a ſhort ſtory we have of Methuſhelab, a good man, though he lived a thouſand years almoſt, yet we have ſcarce Three Syllables concerning him. Now ſith Moſes did not undertake to ſet down all that they did, therefore they might keep the Sabbath, though he did not ſet it down: neither afterwards doth he ſet it down for 319. years, and 111. years, which 430. years, to the time of the Judges, we have nothing ſpoken of concerning the Sabbath; therefore ſeeing God did Inſtitute it to Adam in his Innocency, that is enough; but what though the Fathers had not kept it holy, doth it therefore follow that we muſt not keep it holy? They had many wives, doth it therefore follow that we muſt have many wives? So, ſuppoſe they did not ſanctifie the ſeventh day, (though wee can ſee no proof that they did not) yet this is enough, That God did ſanctifie it before any Ceremony was.
Again, Though we do not read that they practiſed this, yet the Scripture doth intimate to us that they did it.
Reaſ. 2 The Second Argument to prove this, is out of Exod. 16.23. before the Law was delivered upon Mount Sinai, before the Commandment was ſpoken from Horeb; yet you may ſee that the Sabbath is ſpoken of, and the Lord doth finde fault with Iſrael, for not keeping of it, which intimateth it was a day they well knew, and the Lord ſaith afterwards to Moſes, How long will ye refuſe to keep my Laws and Statutes? As in verſ. 28. the Lord there ſpeaks of a Sabbath, as a day well known unto them, that it was commanded to be ſanctified by them, and this was before the delivering of the Ceremonial Law; therefore it is not a ceremonial Law, but a poſitive Law, equipollent with the moral Law.
Reaſ. 3 A Third Reaſon is, Becauſe it was written by the finger of God in Tables of ſtone and put into the Ark, Exod. 31.18. and Deut. 10.12. the Commandments were written upon Two tables of ſtone, and by the finger of God; Now all Divines, in all ages, agree upon this, that the writing of this Commandment in the Two tables of ſtone, is an evident Argument of the morality of it. For as a Reverend Divine ſaith, Not to think the Fourth Commandment to be moral, is the way to all Atheiſme; for if one ſhould ſay the Fourth Commandment is not moral, but ceremonial; another might ſtep up the next year and ſay the Second, and the Fifth, is not: So that whereas the Law is written by the finger of God in tables of ſtone, if we root it out of the tables of ſtone, we ſhall root it out of the heart of man; therefore the writing of it in the tables of ſtone, is an evident Argument of the morality of it to all ages.
A Fourth Argument is this, The Lord doth urge this Commandment, Reaſ. 4 more then any other Commandment in the Decalogue; ſo that a man may queſtion the Firſt, or Second, or any of the Ten as well as this; for firſt we know that God hath made this Commandment larger then any of the reſt: Secondly, hee hath made it ſtronger, and urged it with more arguments then any of the reſt. 3. He hath fixed a memento, remember before it: As who ſhould ſay, Be carefull of this, and take heed of forgetting it, take heed of thoſe that ſhall teach you the contrary, that this Commandment is not morall. 4. It is negatively delivered, and affirmatively; the other delivered only one way; either affirmatively only, as the Fifth, Honour thy Father and Mother: or elſe negatively only, as all the reſt: There is never a Commandment delivered both negatively and affirmatively, but only the Fourth, as, Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy; there it is delivered affirmatively: And afterwards it is delivered negatively, In it thou ſhalt do no manner of work, thou, nor thy ſon, nor thy daughter, &c. The Lord hath delivered it both wayes; noting, that this Commandment is equall and equipollent with the other: and the Lord did this in infinite wiſdome, becauſe he had not written this Commandment in the heart of man by the light of nature, therefore the Lord did urge it more with Arguments, that what was wanting in the light of nature, might be ſupplyed by the preſſing of Arguments.
5. Another Argument is, Becauſe if this be not morall, then we have Reaſ. 5 not Ten morall Commandments, there are but Nine: now this is falſe; for the Scripture tels us, that the Commandments are Ten, as Deut. 10.4. it is not an Eccleſiaſticall thing, but the Lord hath ſaid it, as you may ſee there: And he wrote upon the Tables according to the firſt writing, the Ten Commandments, which the Lord ſpake unto you in the Mount, out of the midſt of the fire. The Lord ſpake Ten Commandments; now if the Fourth Commandment be not morall, there be not ten Commandments: And you may as well deny the Articles of the Faith, and the Petitions of the Lords Prayer, as the ten Commandments.
The Sixth Argument is this; Chriſt tels us plainely, that it is a Reaſ. 6 morall Commandment, Matth. 24.20. Pray (ſaith he) that your flight be not in the winter, nor on the Sabbath day. Our Saviour Chriſt here propheſied of the deſtruction of Jeruſalem, which was forty yeares after Chriſts Aſcenſion, when all Ceremonies were ceaſed, as Paul had proclaimed before the deſtruction of Jeruſalem, That if any man would be circumciſed, Chriſt ſhould profit him nothing, Galat. 5.2.Gal. 5.2 That is, if he would keep the Ceremonial Law: Now Chriſt bids thoſe that ſhould live forty years after the Ceremonies were ceaſed, I would have you have a care of the Sabbath, and delight in hearing of the word of God, and meditating upon it, and ſo forth; and if any occaſion come that you fall into the hands of your enemies, pray that your flight be not in the Winter, nor on the Sabbath day: as who ſhould ſay, If it be in the Winter, that will do hurt, and be troubleſome to your bodies: and ſo if you fly upon the Sabbath day, that will trouble your conſciences, if you regard Gods commandment and the good of your own conſciences; if you regard or fear Gods name, it will grieve you to fly on the Sabbath day, whereby you ſhall be deprived of the Congregation of Gods Saints; therefore pray that your flight be not upon that day: Intimating, that it was Morall; for if it had been Ceremoniall, he would not have wiſhed them to pray that it might not be upon that day.
Now whereas our Saviour doth ſo often condemn the Phariſees in regard of their ſtrictneſſe of the Sabbath; it is not as if he did diſallow the keeping of it; but they were fooliſhly preciſe, they ſtrained at a gnat, and ſwallowed a camel; they crowded out, and regarded not Mercy and Judgment, they would not pull a poor beaſt out of a pit, or relieve a poor man upon the Sabbath day: they found fault that a man ſhould be helped from deaths door by our Saviour upon the Sabbath, this was their folly. Now our Saviour did not condemn ſtrict keeping of the Sabbath, but he did condemn their Superſtition; for ever ſince Adams time, it was lawful to do works of Mercy on the Sabbath, it was Lawful to pull a beaſt out of the pit, and do works of Mercy, and Neceſſity upon the Sabbath day. And, whereas the Law ſaith,Exod. 35.3 The Jewes might not kindle a fire on the Sabbath day, if we were in their caſe, we might not neither; for they were in the Wilderneſſe, in an hot Countrey, where they needed no Fire, and having their Food provided to their hands. And being in an hot Countrey, if they kindled a Fire, it was out of wantonneſſe, but if it had been a cold Countrey, in Adams time, and Abrahams time, and in all times, it was lawful to kindle a Fire.
Reaſ. 7 Againe, another Argument is this, The very Heathen themſelves have ever kept a Sabbath day, though they could not tell which the day was; ſome kept the Eighth day, and ſome the Ninth, yet they ever kept a Sabbath day: Yea, it is certain, many of the Heathen themſelves kept the Sabbath after their manner. Alexandrinus, a godly Father, that lived but a little after Chriſt, ſaith, That the Heathen did count the Seventh day, an Holy day. And it is related of Alexander Severus Emperour of Rome, though he were a Pagan, and Infidel, yet every Sabbath day, he retired from his Warlike affaires, and went up into the Capitol to worſhip his gods. And it is reported againe in Heathen Hiſtories, our boyes go not to School upon the Sabbath day, neither are Humane Arts taught on that day; but we have a Reſt upon that day: Nay, ſome of the Heathens tell us, That they keep it from the Creation; therefore Philo tells us, That the Sabbath day, is the Creation day: and divers other poor people, that never had Scripture, or Prophet, or Miniſter among them, but went meerly by the light of Nature, and what they had learned from their Anceſtors and Fathers, they did keep the Sabbath day. Nay, one of them ſaith, That on the Seventh day, all the Hoſt of Heaven and Earth was finiſhed. Therefore ſeeing the very Heathen have learned to keep this day Holy, it is an Evident Argument, that this is a Moral Commandement. I conclude the Proof of this Point, with the ſaying of our Saviour Chriſt, Mat. 5.18. Heaven and Earth ſhall paſſe away, but not one jot or title of the Law ſhall paſſe away: Marke, our Saviour ſaith there, that there ſhall not one jot or title of the Decalogue paſſe away. As for the Ceremonial, and Judicial law, they ſtand not ſtill, but the whole compaſſe of them is removed, the Ceremonial Law is quite and clean aboliſhed; and the Judicial Law, in many particulars; therefore our Saviour meant it not of thoſe two Laws, but he ſpeaks of the Decalogue, and he ſaith, Heaven and Earth ſhall paſſe away, before one jot of it ſhall paſſe away, much leſſe an whole branch be rooted out. And Gal. 3.10. the Apoſtle ſaith, Curſed is every one that continues not in all things that are written in this Law to do them: not only he that continueth not in the firſt, or ſecond, or third Commandment, but he that continueth not in the fourth, and fifth, and all the reſt. And Jam. 2.10. the Apoſtle there ſaith, If a man ſhould keep the whole Law of God, and be guilty only in one point, he is guilty of all. Suppoſe thou didſt keep the Three firſt Commandments, and all the Six laſt, if thou keepeſt not the Fourth Commandment, thou art guilty of the breach of all the Commandments.
I let this paſſe, and come now to the laſt Propoſition, which is this,Propoſ. 9. The firſt day of the week was the Lords day, and ſo to continue to the end of the world. That though the laſt day of the week were kept for the Sabbath, till the coming of Chriſt, yet the firſt day of the week, that ſeventh day, is now the Lords Day, and is ſo to continue to the end of the World: I frame it thus, The change of the ſeventh day, to the firſt day of the week, is not by Eccleſiaſtical Law, or by the Law of man, or Apoſtolical Tradition, but it is by the Inſtitution, and expreſs Commandment of God.
The firſt Argument to prove it, is taken out of Pſal. 118.24. It is an Argument Reaſ. 1 uſed by the Church of God in all Ages, ever ſince twelve hundred years agoe. Saint Auſtin did uſe it in his time, the Pſalmiſt Prophecieth of the Reſurrection of Chriſt, the Stone which the builders refuſed, is become the Head-ſtone of the Corner, this is the Lords doing, ver. 22, 23and it is marvellous in our eyes. (Our Saviour Chriſt, Mat. 21. doth expound it of his Crucifying, and Reſurrection) This is the day that the Lord hath made, we will be glad and rejoyce in it. The Pſalmiſt ſpeaks here of the Reſurrection of Chriſt; now ſpeaking of this very day, ſaith he, This is The day that the Lord hath made: And we for our part, that are godly, and deſire to be built upon this Corner Stone, we will be glad, and rejoyce in it; we will keep it as a glorious day, a day of Thankſgiving, and Rejoycing in God. The thing is plain, ſee Iſa. 56.1, 2. the Prophet Prophecyeth of the Day of Chriſt, and ſaith, They are bleſſed that keep the Sabbath, thus ſaith the Lord, Keep Judgement, and Juſtice, for my Salvation is at hand to come, and my Righteouſneſs is to be revealed: Bleſſed is the man that doth this, and keepeth my Sabbaths. This is a Prophecie of the day of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt and he pronounceth a bleſſing upon thoſe that keep the Sabbath in thoſe dayes. Again, Iſa. 11.10. it was Prophecied of old, that the firſt day of the week, ſhould be the Sabbath day, the Lords day: In that day, there ſhall be a Root of Jeſſe, which ſhall ſtand up for an Enſigne to the people, and the Nations ſhall flie unto it, and his Reſt ſhall be Glorious: Not only the Fathers Reſt ſhall be glorious, when he had Created Heaven, and Earth, and reſted the ſeventh day, but Chriſts Reſt alſo ſhall be glorious; for all Divines agree, that the Prophet ſpeaks of the Reſt of Chriſt, from the work of Redemption; now his Reſt ſhall be glorious. As God the Father Reſted from his work, and his Reſt was glorious for four thouſand years together; ſo Chriſts Reſt from his work ſhall be glorious, there ſhall be glory and honour put upon it, as well as upon the Reſt of the Father, when he Reſted from making of Heaven and Earth.
Secondly, Another Argument to prove this, is out of Rev. 1.10. there Reaſ. 2 Saint John ſpeaking of the firſt day of the week, the Spirit of the Lord calls it the Lords Day, I was in the Spirit on the Lords Day, ſo that it is not by Apoſtolical Tradition only, but by the Inſtitution of God himſelf, he doth call it the Lords Day, I was in the Spirit upon the Lords Day; he calls the firſt day of the week the Lords Day, by the ſame reaſon that the Sacrament is called the Lords Supper. Now the Sacrament is ſo called, becauſe the Lord Inſtituted it, and therefore it muſt be Holy: ſo the Lords Day is called ſo, becauſe the Lord Inſtituted it, and therefore it muſt be kept Holy.
Reaſ. 3 Another Argument is this, Our Saviour Chriſt himſelf doth Intitle himſelf to be the Lord of the Sabbath, and therefore able to alter it, and change it, and appoint what buſineſſe is to be done, and what not to be done, upon that day; he doth openly profeſs, that he is Lord of the Sabbath, Mark 2.28. and John 5.23. he ſaith, They ſhall Honour the Son, as they Honour the Father; As they honour the Father with a Sabbath, in regard of his Reſt from the work of Creation, ſo they ſhall honour the Son with a Sabbath, in regard of his Reſt from the work of Redemption, which being compared with Rev. 1.10. where it is called the Lords Day: Theſe two being put together, do plainly prove it.
Reaſ. 4 Fourthly, Chriſt himſelf did command his Apoſtles to keep this day, it was not by the Apoſtles counſel, as if they would ſet up this day in the Church, as ſome would have it; but Chriſt did command them ſo to do; for the Apoſtles did deliver nothing Generally to the Church, but what they received from the Lord, as Paul ſaith, What I have received from the Lord, that I declare unto you, 1 Cor. 11. But I will prove it was the Commandment of Chriſt to them, by this Argument, Becauſe the firſt day of the week was alwayes kept for the aſſemblies of the people of God, before the Apoſtles durſt order any thing in the Church: the Apoſtles never durſt undertake to ſet up any order in the Church, until the Holy Ghoſt fell upon them in fiery tongues, and that was fourty dayes after. Now the firſt day of the week was kept long before this, John 20.19. they kept the firſt day of the week: and again the next week, ver. 26. they kept the firſt day of the week; and Luke 24. they kept the firſt day of the week. And if you compare three or four places of Scripture together, as Mat. 28.16, 20. together with John 20.19, 26. we ſhall ſee plainly in John, that they did meet upon the firſt day of the week, and in Mat. 28. we ſhall ſee that Chriſt appointed them ſo to do, it was by his Commandment.
Reaſ. 5 Fifthly, Another Argument to prove that it is by Divine Inſtitution, and not by Humane Ordinance, is this, Becauſe the Wiſdome of Jeſus Chriſt, would never have committed ſuch a weighty thing as this is to the Judgement of man. Certainly the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, before his aſcending up unto his Father, would never have left things to raw, and uncertain, and imperfect, as to leave ſuch a Branch of ſuch a Sacred Ordinance, to be at the Arbitrament of men, being ſo apt to take liberty, and ſo negligent to keep any day Holy, ſurely the Lord would never have left it to the Arbitrament of men. Therefore we may well conclude, it is to be found in Scripture by Ordination of God; for mark what the Apoſtle ſaith, As Moſes was faithful in all his houſe, ſo Chriſt is faithful in all his houſe, Heb. 3.2, 3. He proves that Chriſt is more faithful then Moſes: Now Moſes was faithful, for he delivered the whole mind of God to the people of Iſrael, there was nothing left out, for time, or place, or manner; there was not any Ceremony in the worſhip of God left out, but he delivered all to them, he was faithful. So Chriſt is faithful in his houſe, therefore ſeeing Chriſt knew how ready men were to neglect, and prophane the Sabbath, plain reaſon tells us, that he would order it himſelf.
Reaſ. 6 Again, Who ſhould Inſtitute any Ordinance in the Church, but only he that is the Head of the Church?
Reaſ. 7 Again, Another Argument is this, It hath been the Practice of all holy men ſince the Apoſtles daies, to keep this day. That it was the practice of the Apoſtles, that you will grant, that they kept the firſt day of the week. Now if there were no Argument but this, that the Apoſtles did keep it, this were enough to prove the change of the day, when we find that the Apoſtles did ſanctifie this day, this were proof enough to ſtay our mindes; for certainly they had a more Infallible guidance and direction then we have, and they inſiſted upon this day, 1 Cor. 16.1.2. They ordained, and John the Divine kept this day, though he were in the place of his baniſhment, where he could hear no Sermon, but was all alone, yet he would keep the Sabbath, on the firſt day of the week, and the Lord rewarded his ſanctifying of this day, by declaring the Revelation unto him, to incourage all good people to go on in keeping this day. But to leave theſe, and come to the time of the ancient Fathers, immediately after the Apoſtles; they all agree upon the firſt day of the week: Jgnatius doth ſo; and Saint Auſtin ſaith, as the Virgin Mary is among women, ſo is the firſt day of the week, among dayes; as ſhe was bleſſed above women, ſo is the firſt day of the week bleſſed above daies: No man that makes conſcience of his wayes, but ſhall find a bleſſing upon eyery day; but God hath bleſſed this day in a more peculiar manner, and the ſoul that makes conſcience of the keeping of it, may by the Covenant of God expect a bleſſing.
Now to come to the dead times of Popery, If ever the Sabbath was out of memory, and out of date, then was the time; for then there was a great falling away, a great forſaking, a great declining, and people hearkned to Doctrines of Divels, and Damnable Hereſies, and the whole world groaned under Popery: Yet in the dead times of Popery there were abundance of Prophets, the Lord did keep their Judgements entire in this thing, as Gregory and Silveſter, and others, though they were Superſtitious Papiſts, yet they ſay, That the change of the Sabbath, from the laſt day of the week to the firſt, is by Divine Inſtitution. Now to come to the times of Reformation, here we have abundance of Reverend men beyond the ſea, both in Germany, and France, that maintain it is by Divine Inſtitution.
Another Argument is taken from the Judgements of God; If men will not Reaſ. 8 hearken to reaſon, and the examples of the Saints, and Judgement of Divines in all ages, yet the Lord will make it appear from heaven, that this is the Lords Day, and the Lord hath ſealed it.
Firſt by his Judgements, for the wrath of God hath been revealed from heaven upon thoſe that have prophaned this day: the Stories in all ages ſhew it. In the Councel of Paris, where Divines out of all Countries in Chriſtendome were met together, to conſult about matters of Religion▪ Miniſters ſtepped up, and made complaint, concernining the Sabbath, Let us make a Canon for the ſanctifying of the Sabbath day, for to our knowledg, the Lords wrath hath broken out upon the Countrey for the breach of this day; and one related one ſtory, and another, another; as one told a Story of a Miller, that grinding upon the Sabbath day, a fire brake out, and burnt Mill, and Man, and all. Another, of an Husbandman, that going into the field to fetch home his Corn upon the Sabbath day, thunder and lightning brake forth, and burnt him and his corn. Many ſuch ſtories were related in that Councel, and the Magdenbergs have a ſtory of a Noble-man, that uſing to Hunt upon the Sabbath day, the Lord brought it ſo to paſſe, that his Wife brought forth a child, with a head juſt like a dog. I could relate abundance of Stories beyond ſea, but we have enough here at home; the Town of Stratford, in Warwick ſhire, at it is related in the Practice of Piety, was Burnt three times upon this day. And the Story of the Parris Garden, 1583. they were gathered together this day, to ſee the ſport of the Beaſts fighting together, and the Scaffold fell down, and eight were ſlain, and abundance hurt. So there are many more ſuch Examples, I remember my ſelf above a dozen within this half year; the Lord hath revealed his diſpleaſure from heaven, for the breach of this day.
Secondly, Again the Lord hath ſealed this in the conſcience of his people. For who are they that break this day, but looſe, and vain, and prophane men? And who make conſcience of it, but thoſe that moſt fear God, thoſe that God hath moſt crowned with Righteouſneſſe and ſanctification? they delight in this, and Sanctifie it, and count it Holy to the Lord; and the more a man fears God, the more careful he is of the keeping of this day, and the more he is grieved to ſee it prophaned, either by himſelf or others, becauſe he hath experience of the bleſſings of God upon the keeping of this day; no man doth Sanctifie this day conſcionably, but he ſhall find a bleſſing, therefore it is ſurely from the Lord.
Ʋſe. 1 The Firſt Ʋſe is this, Is the firſt day of the week the Sabbath by Divine inſtitution? then here we ſee, that we are to keep a whole day. The Divel, if he cannot make men keep no day, then it is his policy to make them keep it by halves. Oh, ſay they, Do we not keep the Sabbath? Do we not come to Church, and hear the word, and Divine Service Morning and Evening? Is not this to keep the Sabbath? But if the Lord hath Inſtituted this day, then certainly he hath Inſtituted a whole day. It is madneſſe, and want of reaſon for a man to think the contrary. Suppoſe I hire a man to labour with mee for a day, do I not make account he ſhould work one whole day? Suppoſe I hire a Servant for a year, do I not mean an whole year? though I put not in the word Whole, yet I ſuppoſe he muſt dwell a whole year with me. And if I hire a man for a day; it is for an whole day: ſo that in Grammatical ſenſe, when the Scripture ſaith, Thou ſhalt Sanctifie the Sabbath day, it is meant a whole day. It is not in this, as in other words; any piece of a ſtone is ſtone: but in things that ſignifie the whole, it is not the ſame, as a day; a part of a day, is not a day: the leaſt part of water is water, or of fire is fire, but a part of a day, is not a day Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day; and I was in the Spirit on the Lords day; and they met together on the firſt day of the week: it is a day, therefore the meaning of the ſcripture is, that it ſhould be a whole day, and it is ſo in reaſon, and therefore we are to keep an whole day: therefore we ſhould not curtail the Lords day, as the ſervants of Hanun did the garments of Davids ſervants. You know what became of Ananias, and Saphira, that brought but part, when they ſhould have brought the whole; they ſhould have brought the whole price of their inheritance, but they brought but part, therefore the Lord ſmote them with death: ſo when the Lord requires a whole day, and we give him but a part, we ſhall bring vengeance upon our own heads.
There are divers arguments for it: Firſt the weeke conſiſts of ſeven dayes, and he hath given ſix to us and reſerves one day to himſelf: now we wil grant that we have not part of ſix dayes, but ſix whole dayes. If you aske a man what, do you work all day? Why yea, the Lord hath given us ſix dayes, therefore ſix whole dayes. Now by the ſame reaſon God muſt have an whole day; if we take any part of the ſeventh day, then we have more then ſix dayes, which is contrary to the ſcripture.
Another reaſon is this God reſted the ſeventh day: now looke what time God reſted, that time we muſt ſanctifie: now God reſted the ſeventh day, all of it, he left none of the creation to do upon the ſeventh day, he had finiſhed the creation in ſix dayes; and reſted all the ſeventh day, therefore we muſt keep the whole day. Thirdly, becauſe this is the nature of a Sabbath to bee 24 houres, not to be an artificiall day, but to be a naturall day, 24 houres together, as you may ſee Lev. 23.32. you ſhall keep the Sabbath from evening to evening; then the dayes were reckoned from evening to evening from the creation; though now under the goſpel, becauſe Chriſt aroſe in the morning, they are reckoned from morning to morning.
Fourthly, another argument is this, God never ordained halfe holy dayes in his Church: indeed the Church of Rome have halfe holy dayes, as ſaint Blacies day, which is to be kept in the fore noon: ſo they have other dayes that are to be kept in the after-noone, but in the fore-noone, they may do what they liſt: ſo heathens did, as Ovid ſaith, the former part of the day is holy, the latter part of the day is not holy; the Lord hath no ſuch days as theſe, but all holy dayes in ſcripture: if God ever appointed a faſt, or new moon, or feaſt of Tabernacles, whatſoever holy day, he did inſtitute, it was an whole day, and not a part of a day, therefore much more this ſolemn day.
Again, the judgment of all Divines in all ages hath been concerning an whole day. I could inſtance in the fathers, as in Irenaeus, who ſaith, we are to continue in the Sabbath all the day long, for the Lord hath required all the day to be kept holy unto him, and the ſaints of God have alwayes kept an whole day: ſo ſaint Auſtin ſaith, It is not enough, that wee keep three or four houres of the day, but that we reſt the whole day. And what reſt? not only to reſt from our bodily labours, for the beaſts keep this Sabbath; nor the reſt of ſport and paſtime, for that is the Sabbath of the golden calfe; they ate and drink, and roſe up to play: No, but that thou mayeſt be vacant to God all the day in prayer and ſerving of him. So in the Councell of Mexicon, there was an aſſembly of miniſters out of all nations in Chriſtendome, and they ordained a canon, concerning the Lords day, We ordain, that people keep the whole Lords day holy, and that they ſet themſelves the whole day to pray to God, and delight in God, and heare his word: and if a countreymans ſervant breake this day, his puniſhment ſhall be to be beaten with ſevere blowes, [ictubus gravioribus, are the very words of the Councell;] and if a Lawyer offer to plead this day, he ſhall not have the benefit of his pleading or caſe; and if a miniſter breake this day, he ſhall▪ be excommunicated half a year, and throwne out of the Church, and ſhall not be received into the Church again, but upon great humiliation. This was the judgment of Divines in all ages, and it is the obſervation of a reverend Divine, Muſculus, upon Exod. 20. God doth not ſay, Remember the Sabbath, to keepe it holy; he that keeps it an hour or two, keeps it holy: but, Remember the Sabbath Day, to keepe it holy; he will have a day kept holy: Nay Calvin, whom they take to be on their ſide, to be a patron of their liberty, he himſelfe writing upon Deut. 6. upon theſe words, Remember the Sabbath day, he ſaith, we are to keep this day, (ſpeaking of himſelfe, and all the people of God,) we are to keepe this day; and not a part of it, but all of it.
The ſecond Uſe is this: we may hence ſee that ſports and paſtimes are not Ʋſe. 2 agreeable to the Lords day; for if the Lord hath forbidden our weekly works on that day, then ſurely he hath forbidden ſports and paſtimes.
The reaſon is good, firſt becauſe our weekly works, are things Commanded at other times, now ſports and paſtimes are never Commanded by God, but onelyonly permitted: now if things commanded, and things that are good at ſometimes, if theſe notwithſtanding may not be done upon the Lords day, then much leſſe muſt thoſe be done that are permitted onelyonly.
Secondly, becauſe weekely works do leſſe diſtract a man from God. then ſports and paſtimes. I appeale to any man here preſent, if he be not more heavenly and better employed, and leſſe diſtract from good thoughts, and gracious affections, when he is plowing, or ſowing, or threſhing, then when he is diceing, and carding; ſports and paſtimes beat a man further off from religion, and let a man go to prayer after ſports and paſtimes, he ſhall find himſelfe more unfit and unaffected a great deal, then he ſhall when he comes from the works of his calling. Now if thoſe things that do leſſe diſtract from Gods worſhip and ſervice are forbidden upon the Sabbath day, then ſurely much more th…ſe things that doe more diſtract, muſt needs be forbidden upon that day.
THE END.
End of the text · William Fenner, Remains (1657)