The Ancient Christian Religion, Book 2 · Part 2 · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. Shewing the Reasons why the Christian Church is not bound to the observation of the Seventh-days Sabbath according to the Law of Moses. And yet that they are under the Obligation of the Moral part of the Fourth Commandment in the Decalogue, Exod. 20.
SECT. I.
FIrst, I hold it meet to demonstrate the Position, wherein I say the Fourth Command, Exodus 20. is partly Moral, &c. This Morality whereof I speak, lyeth in this, i. e. That God the Creator of all Men, hath put a Law in Mans heart, by which he understandeth that part of the time he is allowed to live upon the Earth, is to be set apart for the service of his Creator, and not all to be spent in doing his own work. A time of repose he also knoweth by the same Law to be necessary, as well for his Servants and Cattel, as for Himself; and this also the fourth Command in the Decalogue doth teach us.
But now if the Question be, How much of this time Man must set apart to serve and worship the Lord his Creatour, and for the repose of his Servants and Cattel? The Answer will be according to the Letter of the fourth Precept only, the Seventh day of every week. But in the Moral consideration, it will be, so much time as is sufficient to answer these ends; which as things may, and often do fall out, may require more than seven daies time together, notwithstanding the Letter of the fourth Precept, which saith, Six daies shalt thou labour, or Six daies may work be done. And this is the sense wherein I take the fourth Command in the Decalogue to be Moral, and under this consideration, I say, it obligeth Universally; I mean, it bindeth all men in all times and places, to set sufficient time apart to worship their Creator, and to give their Servants and Cattel convenient rest; and this the Light of Reason, or Law of Nature doth clearly teach. And hence our Apostle might well say, Rom. 2.the Gentiles having not the Law, do by nature the things contained in the Law; sith all Nations (so far as I ever yet heard) do reserve a competent time for his Worship, whom they acknowledge for their God.
But whereas the fourth Command doth precisely limit a certain point oft time (viz.) the Seventh-day of every week, not requiring more or less: In this respect, I say, the fourth Command in the Decalogue is Ceremonial, and done away by Christ. Done away, I say, as it was part of the yoke of Bondage, as also other things of like nature were; for example, The place of Worship, which in many respects was only the Temple at Jerusalem; neither of which are so done away, as to destroy either time or place for serving the Lord▪ but rather, so, as that all times, and all places are so far sanctified unto us by Christ, as that we may in every place, and at all times, serve him with as great acceptation, as if we were in the Temple of Jerusalem on the SABBATH DAY.
Be it further considered, That the Relief of the Poor, and the maintenance of such as are Ministers of God's Word, do appertain to Moral duty, being grounded upon the Law of Right reason, Mat. 7. 12.Do to others as you would be done to. Thou shalt not muzzle 1 Cor. 9. 9, 10.the mouth of the Ox which treadeth out the Corn, &c. Now saith Paul, For our sakes no doubt this is written; that is; for the sake, or in the behalf of the Ministers of Christ. But now if the Question be, What is the portion of the Poor and such as minister the Word? The Answer will be according to Moses's Law, The tenth part of the increase of thy Land, must be set apart for that purpose, [yea before Moses, it is evident, that Tythes were paid, but before Moses no man can be assigned that ever kept the Sabbath] But in Moral consideration, the Answer to the Question will be this, So much as is necessary ought to be set apart for the Poor, and for such as minister the Word. So then it is clear, that some part of our time, some part of our substance, and some place must be set apart for the Worship of God, &c. And what part that must be, either Christ and Right reason, or the Law of Moses must inform us. If Moses's Law, then the Seventh day of every week, the Temple at Jerusalem, and Tythes must be assigned: But if Christ and right Reason, then the time is, whensoever you can; the place is, wheresoever you can; and for substance, what you can, or what is necessary.
The two last (I suppose) will not be denied; and for the first, it may thus appear; The Lords Supper is ordained as a standing Ordinance in the Church of Christ, as the Passeover was in the Church under Moses; but yet there is no set time assigned by Christ for its Celebration, as we know there was for the Celebration of the Passeover. Again, the Church under Moses were commanded to offer many Sacrifices to the Lord, and had their respective times limited wherein to do it. Christians are bound to offer to the Lord spiritual Sacrifices, even the fruits of their lips, giving thanks to his Name. Heb.But this without the limitation of time, having rather this general rule in that case, namely, to do it continually; that is, as often as we can. Furthermore, the work of Exhortation is a standing Ordinance in Christ's Church, but not limited to any set time, but rather to be performed daily, that is to say, as frequently as we can. Heb.And hence we may perceive a very great difference as to the liberty of time in things pertaining to God, between the Law of Bondage and the Gospel of Christ: for, certainly the work of Christian exhortation, praising the Lord, and the celebration of his Divine Supper, doth as it were comprize the whole body of Christian Worship (as it consists in Practicals) and answers to that which comprized the body of Legal Worship; but with this remarkable difference, the one is left free as to the circumstance of time, while the other was tied to their strict points of time, under which consideration we have cause to say (as the Apostle said) of some (who went from Christ to Moses) ye observe days, and moneths, and times, and years; I am afraid of you, &c. Among which days, I have no doubt the Jews Sabbath-day was included, and that because it was of a ceremonial consideration, and so done away by Christ. And that it was of such a consideration, I shall endeavour to demonstrate by the grounds which here ensueth.
SECT. II. Containing Seven Reasons or Arguments, why Christians are not bound to observe the Seventh-day Sabbath.
The first Reason.
Because nothing which is really Moral is impossible. But upon due consideration it will be found impossible for the whole Universe, i. e. all Mankind (with their Cattel) to observe one certain point of time to rest from labour, &c. because the bounds of their Habitations have made the time so far various, as the time of mid-night is the time of mid-day in their respective Regions where they live: so that unavoidably, one part of the world will be found in the dead of the Night, asleep on their Beds, when the other in the heat of the day, are in devotion to the Lord.
I speak not here of the utmost South and North, but the most remote habitable parts of the World.But that which makes this matter the more considerable, is the great diversity of time which happens to those, who live in the far Southern and Northern parts of the world, a day in these places being as long as many of ours: so that to enjoyn a Sabbath-solemnity in those places, would prove a strange undertaking, and would not answer the Morality of the fourth Command, which undoubtedly requires a sufficient time of rest for Man and Beast, and that his Name may be sanctified by all Men in the celebration of his Ordinances.
To this Reason it hath been Answered.
If the Inhabitants of these remote places do observe the Seventh-day consisting of Evening and Morning, it will answer the intent of God in the fourth Precept, as to the letter of it.
To which I reply, Then it is clear, that it was not God's intent to bind all men to one point of time in Sabbath-solemnities, which I desire may be well observed, and how the precise point of time, the Seventh-day, can then be Moral, I cannot conceive.
Secondly, Let it be observed, that it will follow from this Answer, that these remote Inhabitants may lawfully work for many of our Sabbath-day-evenings; for six days of theirs, counting from Evening to Morning, will contain a good part of six of our weeks, all which time they keeping no Sabbath, will badly answer the intent of God in the fourth Precept; and their Servants and Cattel would soon complain against them.
The Second Reason.
Precepts which are purely Moral give not place to Precepts Ceremonial, but when two such Laws come in Competition, that which is Ceremonial gives place to that which is Moral: Go ye and learn what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice.
But it is evident that the Seventh-days-sabbath frequently gave place to Ceremonial Laws, John 7. 22. 23 — Ye on the Sabbath-day circumcise a Man, &c. that the Law of Moses should not be broken. Here the Law of Circumcision takes place in point of observation before the Sabbath; for, Circumcision did not only prevent the Circumcisers from resting, but the Circumcised were especially incapacitated to Sabbathize, and thus the Law of the Sabbath was broken (if I may so speak, as doubtless I may) by the interposition of a Ceremonial Law.
To this instance we will joyn another, Matt. 12. 5, 6, 7. where it is plainly said, That the Sabbath was profaned, or broken; and that in the Temple at Jerusalem, and yet the profaners thereof were blameless, because their prophanation lay in the observation of certain Ceremonies of Moses's Law, as killing, and dressing of Beasts and Sheep, to, be offered for Sacrifices on that day; and not only for the Sabbath-day, which was done continually, but also for the yearly Sabbaths or Festivities if they fell on the Sabbath-day, as they often did; in which cases there was (as I take it) seven times as much labour in killing and dressing Beasts for Sacrifices on such solemnities, as on the weekly Sabbath. See Num. 28, 29 Chapters.
It is in any-wise to be seriously considered, how clearly our Saviour doth rank the Sabbath with Laws Ceremonial, seeing all the instances which he brings to vindicate his Disciples; are instances out of the Ceremonial Law. For, when his Disciples were found fault with, for rubbing the ears of Corn, &c. on the Sabbath-day, Christ defends them by alledging David, who in a like hungry condition, broke the Ceremonial Law of Shew-bread; and the Argument seems to conclude thus; If David being hungry, might without blame do contrary to the Ceremonial Law of Shew-bread, then my Disciples beingal so hungry; may without blame do contrary to the Ceremonial Law of the Sabbath. And certainly, if the Argument lie not here, a worse thing will follow: for then our Saviour brought an instance very unsuitable, and such as will be dangerous, as will be discerned if it be considered, that it is no reasoning from God's dispensing with a ceremonial Law, to his dispensing with a moral Law: for then one may reason thus: God dispensed with David breaking his Law concerning Shew-bread in a case of necessity, therefore he will dispense with another in worshiping a false God, if he be necessitated, which God forbid.
So then, it is plain, that our Saviour compared the Sabbath with the Law ceremonial, which is yet more evident by the next instance of the Priests prophaning the Sabbath, (to which I have spoken) as also from the conclusion he makes upon the whole matter, in these words, Go ye and learn what this meaneth, I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice; where it is evident the word Mercy, hath relation to Moral Duty, and is appli'd to the Disciples preservation from hunger; and the word Sacrifice, hath relation to the Ceremonial Law, and is applied to the Sabbath-day.
The third Reason.
All Commands purely Moral, are indispensible in cases of Necessity: it is better to die for hunger, than to deny the true God to obtain meat to preserve Life; yea, he that should so save his life, should lose it; Nor may I commit Murther, Adultery, or bear false Witness against my Neighbour, to preserve my own life, for I know no necessity that can make my so doing in any-wise dispensible.
But behold, the Sabbath-day is such in its observation, as it hath been frequently dispensed with in very low cases of Necessity, insomuch, that the saving the life of a Beast, is preferred before its observation, as to the point of time, the Seventh-day; and then much more in cases of necessity which concern the life of a Man: insomuch, that I conceive, there was never yet a Sabbath-day but it was broken, and that by lawful cases of necessity; I say, Lawful cases, (considering the cases still by the Moral Law) notwithstanding the Law of the Sabbath (in the Ceremony thereof) to the contrary.
No man that reads the Scriptures, can lightly be ignorant, how much our Saviour insisteth upon cases of Necessity, as sufficient Answers to those, whoever carped at his doings on the Sabbath-day; whose Conclusion was, that he was not of God, because he kept not the Sabbath. And certainly, if we consider the Fourth Precept, according to the letter of that Law, our Saviour both did, and commanded to be done, some things utterly inconsistent with the Sabbatical observation of the Seventh-day; as appears by comparing, Jer. 17. 22. with John 5. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. John 9. 14. Hence it is plain, that our Saviour went further than cases of necessity in the non-observation of the Sabbath, sith there was no necessity for the Lame to carry his Bed on the Sabbath-day; nor yet for our Saviour to make Clay on the Sabbath, sith he frequently wrought Cures by the words of his lips, and could have done it on the Sabbath, as well as at other times. I conceive therefore it was his Pleasure to do thus on the Sabbath-days, that he might hereby give some intimation of the abrogation of the Sabbath, as he did the like concerning other Ceremonial Observations: for Example, his eating with Publicans and Sinners; as also, his taking persons off from their esteem of the sanctity of one place above another: thereby fore-shewing that he would take away the Sanctity which had been ascribed to the Jewish Nation above the Gentiles, and to Jerusalem above Samaria; John. 4.and then why not the same kind of Sanctity ascribed to one day above another? I say, the same kind of Sanctity; for certainly, the Seventh-day hath no real Sanctity in it above any other day, no more than the Jewish Nation had above any other Nations, or the City Jerusalem above Samaria; the holiness in all these being only Ceremonial. Of this Reason S. J. takes no notice: therefore I proceed to the next.
The fourth Reason.
Thus saith the Lord to the Christian Church, Col. 2. 16.Let no man judge you in meat or in drink, or in respect of an holy-day, or the new Moons, or of the Sabbath-days: which are a shadow of good things to come, but the body is of Christ. From these words it appears, that, not only the holy-days, yearly to be observed by the Jews (which are confest on all hands to be Ceremonial) but also the *It is a poor shift to except against the supplement (days) in Col. 2 16. sith in other Texts, the like supplements are allowed: but if the supplement were omitted, yet the word Sabbath, is comprehensive enough.Sabbath-days themselves were with the rest to pass away, as a shadow, when Christ the Body was come: which will yet more fully appear by Hebr. 4. from the 3d. vers. to the 12. where it is evident, that the Seventh-day-sabbath is reckoned among other legal Types: for here Israels Rest in Canaan, and the Seventh-days Rest are both made Typical of our entring into Rest by Faith in Christ; wherefore let all that are entred into Rest by Faith in him, take heed how they stand upon this Sabbatical shadow, lest they know not how to avoid other things, which (though Legal shadows) will claim a place with it.
The fifth Reason.
The Seventh-day-Sabbath was a sign of their Sanctification to whom it was given, therefore of a Ceremonial nature, and not given to all men. Exod. 31. 13. Ezek. 20. 12. Thus saith the Lord, speak thou also to the Children of Israel, saying, Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you, throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord that do sanctifie you. Hence it appears, that as other holy (or if I may so speak) Sacramental Constitutions are peculiar to the Church, and not delivered to all men; even so the Sabbath was peculiar to the Church of the Jews [as for the strangers among them, &c. their resting was no more a Sabbathizing, than the rest of the Cattel, and so not to be accounted a divine solemnization of the Sabbath] for how could it be a sign that the Lord did Sanctifie the World in general, who had no part in such priviledges, they being without God, without hope, and strangers and aliens from the Covenants of Promises, Ephes. 2. 12.
Again, from this form of speech, It shall be a sign, or it is a sign. It appears, that the Sabbath is Ceremonial, because such Laws as are Moral and imprinted in the heart of man, are no where called signs, that I know of, but this kind of speech (when used with respect to Laws) is appropriate to such as were temporary, and ordained upon some special occasion, for the Church as such, and hence Circumcision is called a sign or token of the Covenant, Rom. 4. Gen. 17.
Now let us consider wherein the Sabbath was a sign, that so we may the better perceive to whom it was given. First then, it was a sign of Israels cleansing from Sin, to which, Exod. 31. 13. Ezek. 20. 12. do well agree, shewing that the Sabbath was a sign that Israel might know that the Lord did Sanctifie them. Here it is plainly of a Sacramental use and appropriate to the Church; it is a sign between me and you, i. e. between me as your God, and you as my Church.
Secondly, The Sabbath was a sign of remembrance, that Israel should remember they were once bondmen in Aegypt, where convenient rest was denied them, and that now they should let their servants rest as well as themselves, Deut. 5. 15.
Thirdly, It was a sign that the true Sabbathizing, is to take up our Rest by faith in Christ, Heb. 4. As for the thousand years Rest at Christ's second coming, and eternal Rest in Heaven, of which some would have the Sabbath to be a sign or Type, I will not insist upon them, because I have not yet met with clear Texts to satisfie me therein. But admit the Sabbath for a sign in all these respects, yet will it not prejudice, but rather strengthen us, in saying, the Seventh-days-Sabbath was Ceremonial, and particular, in respect of the persons to whom it was given.
For first, The Sabbath could not be a sign to all men, or the World universally, that They were sanctified, because in the time of the Law the whole World, except the Jewish Nation, was counted unclean, that is to say, unsanctified.
Secondly, Neither could the Sabbath be a sign (literally, or spiritually) to the whole World, of their deliverance out of Aegyptian Bondage, for literally the whole World was never in Aegypt, and spiritually they are not yet delivered from the bondage thereof, 1 John 5. 19.
Thirdly, The Sabbath could not be a sign to the whole World of their entring into Rest by Faith in Christ; because, as such they are, and ever were in unbelief.
Fourthly, Neither could the Sabbath be a sign to the whole World, in either of the two last respects, sith as such, they have no part in the first Resurrection, nor yet in the eternal Inheritance of the Saints in Light. From these considerations it may appear, that the Sabbath was never given as a sign to all Men, and thence I conclude, it was never given to all Men. For the more ready discerning the meaning of this Ground or Reason, I will digest it into this Syllogism.
Those to whom the Sabbath was given, to them 'twas a sign of their present Sanctification. But it was no sign of the present Sanctification of the whole World. Therefore it was never given to the whole World; therefore of no moral consideration: therefore Ceremonial.
The Sixth Reason.
The Festivals of the Jews, were Ceremonial, and therefore the Seventh-day-Sabbath was Ceremonial.
Thus saith the Lord, The Feasts of the Lord which ye shall proclaim to be holy Convocations, even these are my Feasts: Six dayes shall work be done, but the seventh-day is the Sabbath of rest, an holy Convocation, ye shall do no work therein; it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings — The fourteenth day of the first Month is the Lords Passeover, and on the fifteenth day of the same Month is the feast of the unleavened-bread — In the first day ye shall have an holy Convocation, &c.
We learn from these Scriptures, that as the Passeover, so the Seventh-day-Sabbath was a Feast unto the Jews, and equally called the Feast of the Lord, and therefore reasonably to be concluded, to be one and the same Ceremonial Consideration, and by consequence to vanish, or terminate with them.
If this be denied, let us see what will follow; we must then hold that some of the Jewish Feasts were Moral and perpetual; and so obligatory to such as had not the Law, as well as to those that had it: Or else, that the Sabbath was delivered as a Feast to the Jews, but not so to the rest of Mankind; but the first of these can never be proved (as I conceive) and if the latter be accepted, it must be proved, which I take to be a very difficult undertaking: and if it could be proved, it will confirm what we have said (at least in part) because it will evince the Seventh-day-Sabbath to be Ceremonial, to that part of Mankind to whom it was delivered as a Feast. And here it may well be enquired, from what ground men do now pretend to keep the Seventh-day-Sabbath according to the Law of Moses, and yet keep it not as a Feast of the Lord in all their dwellings? And because we see here the Seventh-day-Sabbath reckoned with the Ceremonial Feasts of the Jews, it will not be impertinent here to add a parallel between the Seventh-day-Sabbath, and the yearly Sabbath, as also the Sabbath of years, that so we may the better discern it to be of a Ceremonial consideration.
To begin with the Institution; Most certain it is, that no mention is made in the Book of God, of the observations of any of these Sabbaths, neither weekly, nor annual, &c. until the Seed of Abraham became a Nation, to whom the Law of all the Sabbaths was given by Moses; neither is the Seventh-day-Sabbath the first in observation, for the Passeover (in which were Sabbaths of rest) was in use before it, and the rest followed *As for that passage Gen. 2. which some conceive to enforce the institution of the Seventh-day-Sabbath from the beginning: and others conceive it to speak of the Sabbath only by a prolepsis, or anticipation; I shall omit at this time, being satisfied first, that if it were even then instituted (which I do not grant) yet would it not necessarily bind all the World to the perpetual solemnity of the seventh-day of every week; nor in the least infer the time to be of a Moral consideration; seeing the Almighty was at liberty to give either a positive, or Ceremonial Law at that time, which yet might notequally extend to all persons, in all times and places, as indeed he seems to have done in the Law concerning; the forbidden fruit. But secondly, I am satisfied that those who take that mention of the Sabbath Gen. 2. by a prolepsis are not without considerable grounds for so doing, the Scriptures in many other cases necessarily requiring, it as might be shewed, were it my business to prosecute the Argument.it.
The second Parallel is in the time of the continuance of these Sabbaths, the Seventh-day-sabbath having nothing in that respect above the rest, as will be seen by the Scriptures following.
For the continuance of the weekly Sabbath, see Exod. 31. 16.
For the continuance of the Pascal Sabbath, see Exod. 12. 14.
For the continuance of Penticost Sabbath, see Lev. 23. 21.
For the continuance of the Expiation Sabbath, see Lev. 23. 31.
For the continuance of the Feast of Tabernacles Sabbath, see Lev. 23. 41.
The Third parallel is in the Service of these Sabbaths, and that I have shewed already, wherein it appears, that the Services of the annual Sabbaths was not only greater than those of the weekly, but to be done as exactly; yea, though they fell upon the Seventh-day; Numb. 28, 29 Chap.
The Fourth Parallel is, of forbearing Labour, which was as strictly to be observed on the yearly, as on the weekly Sabbaths, Exod. 31. 14. compared with Lev. 23. 30.
The Fifth Parallel, of the time to begin to keep the Sabbath, which is supposed to be the Evening before; but in this, the annual Sabbaths are not only equal to the weekly, but indeed the pattern; for of one of them only it is said, From Even to Even shall you sanctifie your Sabbath, Lev. 23. 32.
The Sixth Parallel is of the Penalties, which was death, and was as well the penalty for breach of the yearly Sabbaths, as for breach of the Seventh-day-Sabbath Lev. 23. 30. *Note that these words in the Text [that soul shall be cut off from his people,] is meant of the Magistrates executing the Law for breach of the Seventh-day-Sabbath, and then why not in the other cases also?And although it be not exprest, that the Magistrate must execute the penalty for breach of the yearly Sabbath, yet it may be gathered, that he must do it. See and compare these Scriptures, Exod. 30. 28. *Note that these words in the Text [that soul shall be cut off from his people,] is meant of the Magistrates executing the Law for breach of the Seventh-day-Sabbath, and then why not in the other cases also?and Exod. 31. 14. *Note that these words in the Text [that soul shall be cut off from his people,] is meant of the Magistrates executing the Law for breach of the Seventh-day-Sabbath, and then why not in the other cases also?And this may serve as an answer to some, when they bid us shew that the penalty of death was ever to be inflicted upon the breakers of any Law, but the Moral Law. Nor is this the only instance; for the holy Perfume might not be imitated under pain of Death, Exod. 30. 28. Neither might Man or Beast so much as touch the Holy Mount, but be punished by stoning, or by being thrust through with a Dart, Exod. 19. 23. compared with 12, and 13 verses of the same Chapter.
The Seventh and Last Parrallel shall be of the Sabbath of years; in which we may observe, that at the giving thereof to Israel, the Lord gave them the bread of three years, the year before the Sabbatical year, as he gave them the bread of two daies, before the Sabbath-day.
Now let it be considered, what solid Reason there remains for the continuation of the Seventh-day Sabbath, more than for the yearly Sabbaths, and Sabbath of Years, sith there is no more express Prohibition of the one, than the other, in the Scriptures, (except in Col. 2. 16. where in truth, the Seventh-day Sabbath is rather more expresly prohibited than the rest) and seeing we do as constantly enjoy the time of first-Fruits, in gathering, &c. as the Jews did, wherein they held holy Sabbatisms, to rejoyce before the Lord, for all the good things wherewith he blessed them; it might very justly be enquired of some, why they observe not these solemnities, together with the Seventh-day?
The Seventh Reason.
The Observation of the Seventh-day Sabbath, according to the Law of Moses, cannot stand without the Execution of the Penalty of Death upon such as break it. Were it not so, it should not be the Religious Observation of the day which is in it self a thing tollerable, and about which Christians need not judge one another; I say, were it only this, it should not offend me. But now, these which stand for the observation of the Seventh-day, according to the Law of Moses, do also stand for the penalty of Death, to be inflicted upon such as they judge wilful breakers thereof; Stennet against Russel.confessing even in their Printed Books, that the reason why they do not execute that Penalty, is, Because they are no Magistrates; So then, it seems such Men want but opportunity; and doubtless, by how much Men are the more zealous, by so much they would drive the more furiously.
Finally, I offer it to the consideration of sober Men, whether it would be Gospel-like, for Believers in Christ to compel their Families to celebrate the Sabbath, such of them especially as are of Faith and Religion contradistinct to them in that Point? and yet behold, this must they do (according to Moses) for the Law of the Sabbath requires the Master of the House to order his Children and Servants in point of Sabbatizing.
SECT. III. Answereth the most important Allegation of the new Testament, usually brought for the observation of the Seventh-day Sabbath, according to the Law of Moses.
In Matth. 24. 20, 21. we read thus, But pray ye that your flight be not in the Winter, neither on the Sabbath day: for then shall be great Tribulation.
Object. Whence some pious Christians do conceive, That our Saviour allows the Sabbathical Observation of the Seventh-day according to the Law, even among his own Disciples, for forty years after his desc…ase, and consequently to the end of the World.
Answ. This Objection is of no Validity, because our Lord doth not here enjoyn any person whatsoever to keep the Sabbath at the time when Jerusalem should be Destroyed, but rather fore-shews, the danger which his Disciples might probably be in, by reason of other Mens observation of it, namely the Jewish Nation, and specially the Pharisaical Sect, who still were carping at our Lord himself, about keeping the Sabbath. This is evident, because our Saviour compares that kind of observation of the Sabbath to the Winter season, which would be an aggravation to the affliction of the afflicted, because it would obstruct their flight from the face of their Enemy, even as the Winter also would be obstructive on that account.
But certainly our Saviour, who had so plainly shewed, That it was Lawful to preserve Life on the Sabbath day, whether of Man or Beast, albeit the preservation thereof called for great Labour; would not now suppose it to be unlawful for his poor Disciples to preserve their Lives by escaping an Enemy, who sought to destroy them on the Sabbath day. For it is clear, that when this calamity should happen, it was the will of Christ that the Afflicted should fly, (be it on what day soever) and that with all possible hast or expedition: for vers. 16. He saith, Then [mark that] Let them which be in Judea fly to the Mountains. And he likewise that was upon the House-top, is allowed, yea willed to haste away, and not go into his House to take any part of his stuff with him: As also, He which was in the Field had direction from Christ to escape to the Hill Countries. So that we safely conclude▪ Christ here delivers his Disciples from all manner of scruple of flying to preserve themselves though it should fall out to be upon the Sabbath-day; and consequently, this place can be no obligation to them to keep the Seventh-day, as a day of rest, or Sabbath. But now on the other hand, if we consider the Zeal of the blinded Jews, who would by that time be more blind than ever; for that now they had rejected the true Light, Christ Jesus; and consequently more enraged than ordinary against all that should intrench upon their Ceremonies, and especially, their observation of the Sabbath: it must needs be very perilous for any to fly on that day, seeing there was scarce a Country or Town through which they should fly, but would intercept them, if not destroy them; which calamity God was able to prevent: and therefore our Lord puts his followers upon Prayer as the means to obtain comfort in that dreadful day. Which (according to the account we have of those sad times) was graciously afforded to the Christians by a Voice from Heaven, crying, Away to Pella, away to Pella: and this before the City was taken.
Wherefore the reason of our Saviours exhortation to Prayer, being taken from a cruel and unrighteous observation of the Sabbath day; and his instructions as they refer to that time, being directly against that observation of the Sabbath; and also, considering that Christ gives no direction at all to his Disciples in this place, how to observe the Sabbath: It is impossible for any man to give a rational demonstration, how this place, Matt. 24. 20, 21. should lay Christian Men under any necessity to keep the Sabbath-day according to the Law of Moses.
The Sabbath retaining its name till that time, is no Argument for its being observed by Christians (and yet that is all that looks like an Argument from this place:) for by the same reason Circumcision also might claim a place in the Christian Churches; yea the whole Law of Ceremonies also, for they still retain those Appellations; when yet, that Circumcision, was truly, the Concision, and that Law, was no Law.
In vain do some pretend, that the aggravation of Calamity by the Christians Flight on the Sabbath day, is meant of the grief of heart that should attend them, for that they were constrain'd to break the Sabbath by flying. But this was so far from that, that it was their express Duty from Christ's own direction, as well as from the Principles of Morality, to preserve their Lives by flight at what time soever it should happen, upon the occasion of Jerusalem being expos'd to ruine by reason of an Army of the Romans.
SECT. IV. Shewing the Opinion of some of the Jewish Rabbins concerning the Sabbath-day. And certain Antient Christians concerning the Sabbath-day, and the First-day.
The Rabbins.
We read saith Pet. Gallatinus, on the Jews gloss upon these words, Ex Heylin Hist. de Sabbath.The Lord hath given you the Sabbath; What means these words, The Lord hath given you? Because it was given to the Jews, and not unto the Gentiles.
Rabbi Johanan saith, That whatsoever Statute God gave Israel, he gave it to them publickly, except the Sabbath, and that was given to them in secret, according to that of Exodus, It is a Sign between me and the Children of Israel.
Josephus in his Book of Antiquities, and Wars of the Jews, Antiq. l. 14. c. 18. De Bello, l. 2. c. 16.calls the Sabbath a National and Local custome; a Law peculiar to that People.
The Antient Christians of the 1, 2, 3, 4 Centuries.
Justin Martyr saith, Justin. in Dial cum Trypho.None of the Righteous Men, and such as walked with God, were either Circumcised or kept the Sabbath until the several times of Abraham and Moses.
Ireneus saith, Iren. advers. Haeres. l. 4. c. 30.That Circumcision and the Sabbath were both given for Signs, and that all the Multitude of the Faithful before Abraham, were justified without the one (i. e. Circumcision) and that the Patriarks, which preceded Moses, were justified without the other.
Tertullian Tertul advers. Judaeos.requires the Jews to prove (if they can) that the Fathers of former times [meaning before the time of Abraham] were Circumcised, or kept the Sabbath, or that thereby they obtained to be called (or accounted) the friends of God.
Eusebius saith, The Religion of the Patriarks of old, was like the Christian, and he proves it thus, They were not circumcised, no more are we; They kept not the Sabbath, no more do we; They were not bound to abstain from sundry kinds of meats, no more are we.
And elsewhere he saith, Euseb. Hist. l. 1. c. 4.Melchesideck was a Priest of the most high God, neither being circumcised, nor anointed with the holy Oyle, &c. no not so much as knowing that there was a Sabbath, &c. and living most agreeable to the Gospel.
Concerning the First day.
Ignatius was of this mind, Ignat. l. 8.That both the Seventh and First dayes were to be observed; these are his words. — After we have thus kept the Sabbath, let every one that loveth Christ, keep the Lords day Festival; the Resurrection day; the Queen and Empress of all days; wherein our Life was raised again, and Death was overcome by our Lord and Saviour.
Justin Martyr saith, Just. Mart.Upon the Sunday all of us assemble in the Congregation, as being the First day wherein God separated the Light from the Darkness, Created the World, and Jesus Christ our Saviour rose again from the Dead.
Augustine saith, Aug. Ep. 119.The Lords day was made known to us Christians by the Resurrection, and from that began to be accounted holy.