The Jewish Sabbath Abrogated, Part · Sermon 1

The Jewish Sabbath Abrogated · Part · Sermon 1

p. 175SERMON I.

Shewing that our Lord Chriſt did certainly give Directions to his Diſciples to obſerve the firſt Day of the week under the Goſpel. That Pentecoſt was the firſt Day of the week; and that then the firſt Day was confirmed to be the day of Goſpel-worſhip.

Mat. xxviii. 20.

Teaching them to obſerve all things whatſoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even to the end of the World.

OUR bleſſed Lord as Mediator, having received all Power in Heaven and Earth, as King, Head, Governor, only Soveraign and Lawgiver to his Church, gave forth here his great Commiſſion to his Diſciple…. In which, p. 1761. (As our Annotators note) He aſſerts his own Power. 2. He delegates a Power to his Diſciples. 3. He ſubjoins a Promiſe to them.

'Tis a Power to congregate Churches, and to proclaim free Juſtification and remiſſion of Sins, thro his perfect Obedience in his holy Life, and thro the Death of his Croſs; as alſo Power to give forth Laws and Ordinances to his People, and to give eternal Life to whomſoever he pleaſeth.

This Power was eſſentially and inherently in him as God over all bleſſed for evermore; but given to him as Mediator, God-man, our Soveraign Lord and Redeemer; given him when he firſt came into the World, but more eſpecially given and manifeſted, and confirmed to him when he roſe from the Dead. In which words we have,

1. A Command expreſly given, Teaching them, &c.

2. The univerſality of this Command, all things whatſoever I have commanded you.

3. A gracious Promiſe annexed by way of Encouragement; and lo, I am with you alway, &c.

Doct. That many things Chriſt commanded his Diſciples to teach others,The Doctrine raiſed. are included or comprehended in this his great Commiſſion, which are not expreſſed.

This is evident; ſo that if we would know what theſe things are which are not expreſſed, we muſt have recourſe, 1. Either to what things they doctrinally preach'd, or by their Example led the Goſpel Churches into the practice of. But, 2. Let it be conſider'd, that we are obliged to believe that whatſoever the holy p. 177Apoſtles did teach,Whatſoever the Apoſtles preached, Chriſt gave them Command ſo to do. or lead the Churches into the Practice of by their Example, were ſuch things as Chriſt commanded them; and this Paul doth poſitively declare: For I will not dare to ſpeak of any of thoſe things, to make the Gentiles obedient by word or deed, which Chriſt hath not wrought in me, See 1 Cor. 14. 37.1 Cor 14:37or commanded me.

And indeed ſhould it be thought otherwiſe, 1 Cor. 11. 23.1 Cor 11:23it would render the Apoſtles unfaithful, and guilty of bringing Innovations into the Churches; either in reſpect of any one preciſe day of Worſhip, or any matter or part of Worſhip to be perform'd. I ſpeak not now of the mode of Worſhip, but any eſſential part thereof.

Now that Paul, who was the Miniſter and great Apoſtle of the Gentiles, did teach the Churches to obſerve the firſt day of the week, by aſſembling together to diſcharge the Duties of Religious Worſhip, is evident.

Nor can it be once ſuppoſed, ſince he endeavour'd to take the Churches off from the obſervance of the Jewiſh Sabbath (as I have proved) that he ſhould not direct them, or diſcover to them what day of the week Chriſt had commanded his People to obſerve in the time of the Goſpel: they knowing eſpecially that one day in ſeven the Lord declared in the fourth Commandment he would have perpetually ſequeſtred to his Service, as alſo the reaſonableneſs or equitableneſs thereof.

Therefore, my Brethren, as I have endeavour'd to anſwer all the pretended Arguments brought to prove that we ought to obſerve the old Jewiſh Sabbath, the ſimple Morality of the fourth Commandment, they ſay, conſiſting in the obſervation of that preciſe day: So I ſhall now, God aſſiſting, attempt to prove that we p. 178are obliged to obſerve the firſt day of the week as a day of Reſt, and ſolemn Worſhip to God; while I eſteem ſuch as are for no ſpecial or particular day to be obſerved by Divine Authority both in private Families and in Church Aſſemblies, to be ſtrangely left of God, and to be no friends to our ſacred Religion, but ſuch as open a door to great Licentiouſneſs and Profaneneſs.

If therefore any ſhould ſay, that there is no one preciſe day in ſeven of Divine Authority under the Goſpel-Diſpenſation, but that the Church may appoint what day ſhe pleaſeth: I reply.

1. What force or authority can ſuch a human Precept have upon any Man's Conſcience,To appoint a weekly day of Worſhip is not in the power of the Church, &c. i. e. the obſervance of one day in every week free from all worldly Buſineſs, if God requires it not?

2. Then alſo it would follow, that God doth admit vile Man to ſhare, or partake of equal Honour with himſelf; i. e. that tho he will appoint the Ordinances of his own Worſhip, and have all that Glory to himſelf, yet Man ſhall have the honour to appoint the preciſe, conſtant time of his Worſhip, which is next in point of honour to the other.

3. And by granting Men that Honour and Dignity, it may let in by parity of reaſon, a Power to alter, and change, if not add new Laws and Ordinances of Worſhip alſo.

4. Beſides, it will alſo follow, that the Church on the firſt day of the week doth not meet together by Divine Appointment, if all days are alike, but only by human Authority.

5. Moreover, perhaps one part of the Church may be for one day in four; and another leſs zealous may be for one day in a fortnight; nay, one day in a month ſome may ſay is ſufficient. p. 179So that it would put all things into confuſion; for how can a human Law, or the bare Authority of a Church, without the Divine Appointment of Chriſt Jeſus himſelf, awe the Conſcience? Moreover, perhaps ſome would be for no day at all; and what then would become of the publick and private Worſhip of God?

That Notion therefore, that every day is alike, is moſt hateful to God no doubt: for as ſoon as he eſtabliſhed a viſible Church, giving a ſtinted, ſtated Worſhip, Laws and Ordinances, he appointed himſelf the preciſe time of Worſhip under the Law; and the equitableneſs, as well as the Divine Authority of one day in ſeven, is, as I have proved, perpetually obligatory upon all his People. For the further clearing of this, pray conſider that,

1. Chriſt is Lord of the Sabbath, and of that Day God would have obſerv'd under the Goſpel: and tho he hath diſpenſed with the obſervance of the ſeventh Day, or aboliſhed that, yet as Lord and Lawgiver he hath inſtituted a weekly day of Reſt for his People, and for his ſolemn Worſhip in Goſpel-times. And none have this Power but himſelf alone: For ſhall the Servant appoint what preciſe time his Maſter's buſineſs ſhall be done, or ſet the times when his Maſter's Family ſhall have their diſtinct Meals, or be fed? No certainly.

Therefore,Chriſtian Sabbath, p. 127. as Reverend Dr. Twiſs obſerves, if any pretend that Chriſt hath delegated this Power of his to his Church, it ſtands upon them to make it good.

What times God himſelf took to work in, or to reſt after Creation, the ſame proportion of time (as Dr. Lake hints) did he aſſign to Men, and made his Pattern a perpetual Law. So then of our time God reſerves a ſeventh part for his Service.

p. 180The reſerving (ſaith he) a ſeventh part I hold to be God's Ordinance, who is not variable in his choice, but as everlaſting as the World.

And ſo ſhould the hallowing of the Seventh-day from the Creation have been, had it not been for Sin; for what could have altered it but a new Creation?

2. But Man having ſinned, and ſo aboliſhed the firſt Creation de jure, tho not de facto, God was pleaſed to make by Chriſt an inſtauration [or renewal] of the World (he means, as I conceive, God ſo aboliſhed the old Creation, that no preciſe Day remains to be obſerved in the remembrance of it) and by Chriſt in redemption hath made a new Heaven and a new Earth; and old things being paſſed away; all things are become new: Yea, every man in Chriſt is a new Creature (or of the new Creation.) And as God when he ended his Work of the firſt Creation, made a Day of Reſt, and ſanctified it: So Chriſt when he ended the Work of Redemption, made a Day of Reſt, and ſanctified it; not altering the proportion of Time which is perpetual, but taking the firſt of ſeven for his portion, becauſe it ſutes with his new Creation, and with his entring into it thro him; that old being a Legal Rite, and ſuting with the Covenant of Works, which is aboliſhed with the Covenant it ſelf; but the new, the firſt of ſeven, remains for ever.

3. For the further clearing of this matter, conſider, that under the firſt Creation God required one Day in ſeven for himſelf:The equity of Precepts may abide. But the preciſe Seventh-day being a Judicial Law, is gone; yet the equity or equitableneſs of one Day in ſeven as due to God, to be improved to his Glory for ever, remains.

p. 1814. God then gave poor Servants and Cattel,Servants and Cattel ſtill have one day in 7. to reſt in. one Day of Reſt in ſeven; the laſt Day of ſeven is gone, but the equity or equitableneſs of one Day in ſeven for a day of Reſt for Servants and Cattel, remains for ever.

5. God required his People to give his Miniſters under the Law the Tenth of all their Increaſe: the Law of Tithes is gone, but the equity or equitableneſs that his Miniſters under the Goſpel ſhould have as ſufficient a maintenance, remains for ever.

6. Under the Law God required his People to meet together in his material Temple; the Temple is gone, but the equity or equitableneſs of aſſembling together in ſome place or another for Publick Worſhip, remains for ever.

7. Under the Law God's People in their Prayers offered Incenſe: Incenſe was typical, and is gone; but the equitableneſs of our Duty in making our Prayers to God, and confeſſing our Sins, remains for ever.

8. They under the Law had Inſtruments of Muſick when they ſang God's Praiſes: Inſtruments of Muſick were typical, and only ſerved the Jewiſh Worſhip; but the equitableneſs of the Duty to ſing God's Praiſes with Grace in our Hearts, remains for ever.

9. Alſo note, that the ſecond Commandment (as given by Moſes) injoined the Jewiſh Nation to obſerve the whole Ceremonial Law, and all other Precepts of the Moſaical Oeconomy. But as the Moral Law is in the hands of Chriſt, the ſecond Command doth not injoyn on us the obſervance of thoſe Precepts, becauſe aboliſhed; but it injoyns on us the obſervance of all Ordinances whatſoever Chriſt hath commanded us. Alſo that Clauſe in the ſecond Commandment, p. 182viz. Viſiting the Iniquities of the Fathers on the Children to the third and fourth Generation; doubtleſs belonged to the Covenant of Works, and was a temporal Puniſhment. Doth God do thus under the New Covenant? Moreover, the Promiſe annexed to the fifth Commandment, ſhews that the Law, as given by Moſes, only appertained to the People of Iſrael; as alſo the Preface to them all, Exod. 20. 2. doth the like.

10. So the fourth Commandment (as in the hand of Moſes) injoyned the People of Iſrael the obſervance of the Seventh-day: But as the Law is in the hand of Chriſt, it doth not injoyn us to obſerve that day, but being a Shadow is aboliſhed. But it doth injoyn us to obſerve the firſt day of the Week, which Chriſt (as the Lord of the Sabbath) hath inſtituted under the Goſpel in its room, tho not to be obſerved with that legal ſtrictneſs and penalty as the old Sabbath, which was a ſign of the Covenant of Works, and gendred to bondage.

Object. But where is there a Divine appointment of the firſt Day of the Week; and by whom was it required?

Anſw. This is the cry of our Adverſaries: and I anſwer, that I doubt not but our Lord and Saviour at this time did inſtitute it, and alſo gave command to his Diſciples to obſerve it. I know ſome others have cryed, Where is laying on of hands either upon Elders, or baptized Believers as ſuch commanded? and ſo of divers other things: as if every Precept of the Goſpel muſt be laid down in expreſs words of command becauſe ſome of them are.

1. But to proceed; Let it be well conſidered, that as I have proved from the fourth Command, that a Time, a ſufficient Time for Reſt, and in p. 183the ſolemn Worſhip of God, is a ſimple Moral Duty:

2. And that God alſo hath there, by an expreſs poſitive Law, laid claim to one Day in ſeven, as perpetually obligatory on his People. And as I have alſo proved, that the laſt Day of ſeven was only given to the Jews, or People of Iſrael; and that it is utterly aboliſhed, it being a ſign of the Covenant of Works:

3. So I ſhall now prove that our Lord has appointed the firſt day of the Week for us to obſerve under the Goſpel. For,

Firſt, Conſider, Jeſus Chriſt, the Son of God, as Mediator, is the only Head, Sovereign Lord, and Lawgiver to his Church; and therefore it may ſeem ſtrange, that the ſpecial Day or Time of Goſpel-worſhip in his own Kingdom-ſtate, ſhould not be given forth by himſelf. But that Moſes ſhould have that Honour aſcribed to him, and that we ſhould commemorate the glorious Work of the New Creation, or Redemption on the old Day, which was partly appointed for remembrance of the Work of the firſt Creation,Iſa. 65. 17.Isa 65:17 is very ſtrange: for the Prophet tells us, that upon the creating of the new Heaven and the new Earth, the former ſhall be no more remembred; that is, (as I conceive) not in ſuch a way of remembrance, i. e. by the obſervation of that former Day appointed in part on that very account. For certainly God's glorious Works of the firſt Creation ſhall otherwiſe be never forgot, and 'tis evident the Text refers to the Goſpel day. Jeruſalem Paul applys to the New Teſtament Church.

Secondly, Now in my Text our bleſſed Lord gives forth his Commiſſion: Go and teach all Nations, baptizing them, &c. and then theſe p. 184words are added, teaching them to obſerve all things whatſoever I have commanded you. What many of thoſe Commands were, we know not. It is alſo ſaid, Acts 1. 2, 3. that he was with his Diſciples forty days and forty nights, having given Commandment to his Apoſtles whom he had choſen. Yet neither in this place are thoſe Commandments expreſſed, only he bid them not to depart from Jeruſalem till they received the promiſed Spirit, and were indowed with Power from on high. Now no doubt but during theſe 40 days, he fully ſettled all things appertaining to his Spiritual Kingdom, and inſtructed them in all matters they ſhould both do and teach. And can any rationally judg, that he did not then command them which day in ſeven he would have obſerved as a Day of Reſt and ſolemn Worſhip?

Thirdly, In the purſuit of what I aim at, conſider, that from the day of his aſcenſion into Heaven, till the day of Pentecoſt, there were but ten days, during which we do not read they had any ſpecial general Aſſembly for Religious Worſhip, tho on the two firſt days ſome were together, and on both thoſe days he appeared to them. And remarkable it is, that there were two Jewiſh Sabbath-days between his Aſcenſion and the day of their firſt general ſolemn meeting. Now had not the old Sabbath been gone, certainly they had aſſembled on both thoſe days: but no doubt our Lord had told them on what day they ſhould firſt meet together, in expectation of the Gift and Promiſe of the Father; which day he purpoſed to ratify as the only Day of Goſpel-worſhip, by a marvellous effuſion of the Spirit. To me nothing deſerves more to be obſerv'd than this, viz. on what day of the Week p. 185the firſt general Goſpel-Aſſembly was held, after our Lord's Reſurrection, and juſt upon (or ſoon after) his Aſcenſion: for no doubt that was the day which Chriſt did ſettle in his Goſpel-Church. And that they were bid to be altogether on this day, and to wait till it was come, ſeems plainly implyed in the very words of the Text, Acts 2. 1. And when the day of Pentecoſt was fully come; fully come, doth not that denote they waited for it?

Queſt. Well, and what then?

Anſw. Why, they were all with one accord in one place. Certainly this Aſſembly of the Church on this day was by divine appointment; and our Lord might order their firſt aſſembling together then (I mean on this firſt day of the Week) becauſe Pentecoſt fell out then, and becauſe he knew that great multitudes would be together then to celebrate that Feaſt.

And therefore, as S. Chryſoſtom notes, God ſent down the Holy Ghoſt at that time of Pentecoſt, becauſe thoſe men that did conſent to our Saviour's death, might publickly receive rebuke for that bloody Act; and ſo bear record to the power of our Saviour's Goſpel before the World.

This day, I ſay, was the firſt day of the Week; and then the mighty effuſion of the Holy Ghoſt came upon the Apoſtles, &c. and no leſs than three thouſand Souls were converted on this Day. Theſe were two of the moſt wonderful things that ever were done by our Lord. And thus our Lord firſt ratified and confirmed the preciſe Day, which no doubt he had command his Diſciples to meet upon, as the Day of Goſpel-Worſhip, before he in any marvellous manner confirmed any Ordinance pertaining to Goſpel-worſhip after his Reſurrection. The Jewiſh Sabbath, I muſt tell p. 186you, never was after ſo glorious a manner confirmed. And remarkable it is, that God firſt gave the Sabbath to the Jews, Exod. 16. before he gave any written Laws of Worſhip; they had their Sabbath a month before they came to Mount Sinai, where the Law was given. So Chriſt firſt confirmed the Goſpel-day of Worſhip, before he confirmed any Goſpel-Ordinance of Worſhip after his Reſurrection.

Obj. But we deny that Pentecoſt was the firſt day of the Week, becauſe the Jewiſh Rabbins ſuppoſe that by Sabbath, Lev. 23. 11. is not meant the weekly Sabbath, but the 1ſt day of unleavened Bread, wherein they are followed by ſome Chriſtians alſo.

Anſw. I ſhall prove that Pentecoſt was the firſt day of the Week;

1. By the Word of God.

2. By Univerſal Tradition.

3. By the Teſtimony of moſt approved Writers: and then what will become of your fabulous Rabbinical traditional Jews, or of ſuch Chriſtians who too fondly admire their Writings which contradict the Holy Scripture?

Now,The day of Pentecoſt the firſt day of the Week. I ſay, the day of Pentecoſt was not, as Tillam and others pretend, the ſeventh-day of the Week, or the Jewiſh Sabbath, but the firſt-day, or the Lord's Day. But let me premiſe,

1. That Pentecoſt is the ſame which is called the Feaſt of Harveſt, Exod. 23. 16. and the Feaſt of Weeks, Deut. 16. 10. this all agree in.

2. That it is called by a Greek name Pentecoſt (or the fiftieth day) becauſe always to be obſerved on the fiftieth day from the offering of the wave ſheaf, as we read Lev. 23. 15, 16.

3. Now that this day of Pentecoſt was not upon the Jewiſh Sabbath, but on the day after it, is expreſly aſſerted in the laſt mentioned Text, Lev. 23. 11. And he ſhall wave p. 187the Sheaf before the Lord to be accepted for you; …n the morrow after the Sabbath the Prieſt ſhall wave it. And in ver. 15, 16. they were commanded to count from thence ſeven Sabbaths, and on the morrow after the ſeventh Sabbath to keep the fiftieth day or Pentecoſt. The Wave-offering was the morrow after the weekly Sabbath.Obſerve, the Sheaf was to be waved the day after the Sabbath; this is ſpoken in contradiſtinction to the Feaſts ſpoken of in the 2d Verſe, which are elſewhere called Sabbaths: but here is an Emphaſis laid on the word [the Sabbath] i. e. the Sabbath ſpoken of ver. 3. And that it is not meant of any of thoſe fore-mentioned Feaſts, appears in that there are not any particular Feaſts mentioned, but there is a Command to obſerve them, and the word is in the plural number there. Therefore no particular Feaſts, as the firſt day of unleavened Bread, but the Seventh-day Sabbath is directly here meant. For wherever there is mention of the Sabbath without a reſtriction to any other Feaſts, it is to be underſtood of the Seventh-day Sabbath, as Exod. 16. 15. To morrow is the Reſt of the holy Sabbath: the Emphaſis limits it to the ſeventh-day Sabbath, and that becauſe there is …o other Feaſt particularly ſpoken of.

Secondly, Tradition has handed it down to us that the day of Pentecoſt was the firſt day of the week; and it is the day call'd Whit-ſunday. Now if Tradition has failed here, it fails alſo as to their ſeventh day: for how do we know this is the firſt day, or yeſterday was the ſeventh, but by Tradition?

Thirdly, Here I might mention many learned Writers; yea all generally do affirm that Pentecoſt was the firſt day of the week.

Thus Dr. Heylin, Hiſt. of the Sab. par. 2. p. 13.who was no friend to the Lord's-day or Chriſtian Sabbath, saith that Pentecoſt p. 188was the firſt day of the week.

Mr. Durham ſaith the ſame.On the ten Command. p. 263.

Mr. Cawdrey and Mr. Palmer ſay, that Pentecoſt was the firſt day of the week, and anſwer the Arguments brought againſt it.Sab. Rediv. p. 491.

Dr. Wallis ſays, Chriſt. Sab. p. 37, 38.Pentecoſt was the firſt day of the week, and proves it from Levit. 23. 15. The morrow after the Sabbath the Prieſt was to wave the Sheaf-Offering. And then he proceeds, ver. 15, 16. To the Feaſt of Pentecoſt or Feaſt of Weeks, ye ſhall count unto you from the morrow of the Sabbath from the day you brought the Sheaf of the Wave-offering; ſeven Sabbaths ſhall be compleat, even unto the morrow after the ſeventh Sabbath ſhall ye number fifty days▪ incluſively taken, as the manner of the Scripture reckoning is, and muſt needs be ſo here. It was called the Feaſt of Pentecoſt, or the Feaſt of Weeks, as Deut. 16. 9, 10. which Feaſt was the morrow after the Sabbath, i. e. on the firſt day of the week.

Dr. Owen ſaith,Owen on the Sabb. p. 289. Pentecoſt was the firſt day of the week. When the Lord Chriſt intended conſpicuouſly to build his Church upon his Work and Reſt, by ſending the Holy Ghoſt with his miraculous Gifts upon the Apoſtles, he did it on this day, which was then among the Jews the Feaſt of Pentecoſt, or of Week▪ Then were the Diſciples gathered together with one accord in obſervance of the day ſignalized to them by his Reſurrection, Acts 2. 1. And by this doth their Obedience receive a bleſſed Confirmation, as well as their Perſons a glorious Endowment with Abilities for the Work they were immediately to apply themſelves to. And hereon did they ſet out to the whole work of building the Church on that Foundation, and promoting the Worſhip p. 189of it, which on that day was eſpecially to be celebrated. Thus Dr. Owen.

Mr. Rich. Baxter likewiſe proves that Pentecoſt was the firſt day of the week, Baxt. on the Sabb. p. 168.when the Holy Ghoſt came upon the Apoſtles: and, ſaith he, it is not a trifle that the firſt Sermon to the People was preach'd by Peter on that day, and three thouſand converted by it, and baptized.

Dr. Vſher alſo fully clears that Pentecoſt was the firſt day of the week always, as you ſhall near by and by, who hath finally reſolved this Doubt.

4 I have another Medium by which to prove it was on the firſt day of the week that …he Sheaf-Offering was to be waved before the Lord; which is this: No doubt but God did hereby ſignify that our Lord Chriſt ſhould on that day riſe from the dead,1 Cor. 15.1 Cor 15 who is ſaid to be …he firſt-fruits of them that ſlept. The Wave-Offering was, I ſay, a ſhadow of Chriſt's Re…urrection. The Wave-Offering was a Sheaf of the firſt ripe Fruits of Harveſt, and was to be offered the morrow after the Sabbath. So Chriſt …s the firſt-fruits of that great Harveſt of the Saints bleſſed Reſurrection; and he roſe again …n the morrow after the Sabbath, and ſo anſwered the Type.

Here we have the Goſpel Sabbath, or Goſpel-day of Worſhip, confirm'd by our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

As for thoſe who aſſign the Inſtitution of his day to the Apoſtles, It is not, as Reverend Owen obſerves, Owen, p. 293.to be imagin'd that they knowing …he day obſerved under the Law of Moſes was …emoved, would fix on another day without immediate direction from the Lord Chriſt. For indeed they delivered, ſaith he, nothing to be conſtantly obſerved in the Worſhip of God, but what p. 190they had his Authority for, 1 Cor. 11. 23.

But to return back, becauſe the Sabbat…i…s deny that Pentecoſt was the firſt day of the week, I ſhall here endeavour further to confute them and finally to reſolve this Doubt, recite ſome Pages out of a Reverend Author, Mr. Warren.the ſubſtance o… which I perceive he took out of a printed Letter wrote by the famous Vſher to Dr. Twiſs, who hath, I think, put an end to this Controverſy.

That Pentecoſt is the firſt day of the week, is generally taken by Chriſtian Writers,Proofs that Pentecoſt was the firſt day of the week. and ſo it may be evidently proved by the Scripture. Let plain Scripture determine the matter: I look into the Statute Laws of Moſes concerning … Feaſt of Pentecoſt.

Exod. 34. 21, 22. Six days ſhalt thou …, but the ſeventh thou ſhalt reſt, both in earing-time and in Harveſt.

And thou ſhalt obſerve the Feaſt of Weeks, of the firſt-fruits of Wheat-Harveſt.

Lev. 23. 10, 11, 12, 15. When ye are come … the Land which I give unto you, and ye ſhal… reap the Harveſt thereof, then ye ſhall bring … Sheaf of the firſt-fruits of your Harveſt to … Prieſt; and he ſhall wave it, together with … offering of a Lamb without blemiſh: on the … row after the Sabbath he ſhall wave it.

And ye ſhall count unto you from the morr… after the Sabbath, from the day that ye bring… the Sheaf; ſeven Sabbaths ſhall be compl… even to the morrow after the ſeventh Sabbath, ye ſhall number fifty days.

So Numb. 28. 26. Deut. 16. 7. Seven weeks ſhalt thou number unto thee; begin to number th… ſeven weeks from ſuch time as thou begin… … put the Sickle to the Corn.

From the Harmony of which four Te… … appears, that this Feaſt had three … p. 191Names, which were all made good at that ſolemn Pentecoſt, Acts 2.

1. It was call'd the Feaſt of Weeks or of ſevens, becauſe from the waving of the Sheaf they reckoned as many weeks to this Feaſt as there be days in ſeven weeks; which evidently ſhadowed out ſome weekly Feſtiyal under the Goſpel, the day whereof was noted by that Pentecoſt, Acts 2. 1, 2.

2. It was call'd the Feaſt of Firſt-fruits, and of Harveſt; becauſe as they began their Harveſt upon the firſt of the fifty days when they offered the Sheaf of Firſt-fruits, ſo they ended it upon the fiftieth day, which was properly the Feaſt-day: Upon which they offered the Wave-loaves. And theſe fifty days or ſeven weeks were the appointed weeks of their Harveſt; and by the offering of the Sheaf at the beginning of their Harveſt there, their after-Fruits were ſanctified. And the offering of the …oaves on the fiftieth day was not only an Eu…hariſtical Oblation, but alſo a token of the Harveſt being finiſhed.

3. It is called the Feaſt of Pentecoſt, Deut. 16. 9.Deut 16:9becauſe it was ever kept the fiftieth day; the fiftieth, …ow reckoned? from the morrow after the …abbath (that is, the firſt day of the week) …ut what mark had they to know their morrow …? Moſes tells them, when you ſhall reap the Harveſt of your Land; or when you begin to …eap it, for ſo 'tis expounded in Deut. 16. 9. Begin to number the ſeven Weeks from ſuch a …ime as thou beginneſt to put the Sickle to the …orn. So, that when they began their Harveſt, they muſt begin their account of fifty …ays.

And the firſt of the fifty was the morrow of the Sabbath, or the day following the Sabbath, p. 192namely the firſt day of the week:Dr. Uſher in his Letter to Dr. Twiſs, p. 91, 92. and as they began, ſo they muſt end their account on the ſame day; as the firſt, ſo the fiftieth day, or day of Pentecoſt, muſt be on the morrow of the laſt Sabbath, Levit. 23. 15, 16.

And this is injoin'd by the expreſs Command of God, to be obſerv'd as a Statute for ever throughout their Generations.

This is the plain Scripture-account; and who can but obſerve the Wiſdom of God in ordering the matter thus? viz.

That this Feaſt of Weeks ſhould never fall upon the ſeventh-day, but always upon the firſt day of the week, the morrow after the Sabbath, or the day immediately following it, if at leaſt his Statute-Law had always been obſerv'd.

And what elſe could this preſignify, as Dr. Vſher ſpeaks, but that under the ſtate of the Goſpel the Solemnity of the weekly Service ſhould be celebrated upon that day?

Now I hope that famous Pentecoſt, Act. 2. 1. will be no Parable, tho we ſtate it (according to the Divine Oracle) upon the firſt day of the week, the morrow after the Jews Sabbath. We need no Almanack to help us here, the Bible is ſufficient. Nor, ſay I, do we need the Traditions of the blind doting Rabbins.

But (to proceed) becauſe the Sabbataria… ſtand ſo much upon ſuppoſed Myſteries in the Feaſt of Pentecoſt, See Dr. Uſher's printed Letter.according to their Traditional Account, I ſhall acquaint them with the real Myſteries of Chriſt accompliſhed exactly according to this Scriptural Account, where they may ſee the Type and the Truth admirably concurring: For as at the time of the Paſſover, 1 Cor. 5. 7.1 Cor 5:7Chriſt our Paſſover was ſacrificed for us, and lay in his Grave the whole Jewiſh p. 193Sabbath following: So on the morrow after the Sabbath (when the Sheaf of the firſt Fruits was offered to God) Jeſus Chriſt roſe from the dead,1 Cor. 15. 20.1 Cor 15:20 and became the Firſt-fruits of them that ſlept; and many of the Saints that ſlept roſe likewiſe after him.Mat. 37. 52, 53.

From hence was the Account taken of the ſeven Sabbaths, or fifty Days; and upon the morrow after the ſeventh Sabbath (which was our Lord's Day) was that famous Feaſt of Weeks, that day of Pentecoſt, Acts 2. 1.

Upon which day the Apoſtles having themſelves received the firſt Fruits of the Spirit, begat three thouſand Souls with the Word of Truth, and preſented them as the firſt Fruits of the Chriſtian Church to God, and to the Lamb. Here was the Feaſt of Loaves in the Antitype, that feaſted ſome thouſands of Souls.

And from that time forward do the Waldenſes note, that the Lord's Day was obſerved in the Chriſtian Church in the place of the Jewiſh Sabbath. Thus Dr. Vſher, that Library of Learning.

Object. If it be objected, That in this Diſcourſe he ſtates Chriſt ſuffering at the Feaſt of the Paſſover, and ſo falls in with the vulgar Opinion, which takes the morrow after the Sabbath, Levit. 23. for the morrow after the Paſſover Sabbath.

I anſwer, That cannot be: for he had declared before that the Sabbath there intended is the weekly Sabbath; and the morrow after it is the firſt day of the Week: And he cites Iſychius and Ruportius in interpreting it ſo before him; to whom I ſhall be bold, ſaith**Mr. Warren. Nazianze… Orat. 44. he, to add Nazianzen who was before them all, who ſpeaking of the Feaſt of Pentecoſt, ſays, This Nation (meaning the Jewiſh Nation) p. 194uſes to conſecrate to God, not only the firſt of their Fruits, and firſt born, but the firſt Fruits of their Days and Years alſo. Thus the illuſtrious number of Seven has carried the honour of Pentecoſt: for Seven being compoſed upon it ſelf, makes fifty wanting but one day, which we have taken from this future Age, being both the eighth and the firſt Day.

His Argument is clearly this, that the Jewiſh Pentecoſt was fain to be beholden to the Chriſtians eighth day, or firſt day of the Week, to make up the compleat number of fifty days.

And the like he ſays a little before concerning their Jubilee every fiftieth year: for ſeven times ſeven makes but forty nine; to perfect the number, they borrowed the firſt day of the Week, and ſo conſecrated to God the firſt of their Days as well as of their Land.

So that this computation of the fifty days to Pentecoſt, from the morrow of the Sabbath, wants no Authority to back it, either divine or humane.

But the Word of God is our beſt Warrant; and we may be ſatisfied that Dr. Twiſs was no Child at Argument, nor one that would be perſwaded on ſlight grounds; but upon Biſhop, Vſher's diſcovery of this Truth by the forementioned Scripture-evidence, he profeſſed he received great ſatisfaction, and acknowledges that the myſtery of the Feaſt of firſt Fruits was opened to the ſingular advantage and honour of the Lord's Day.

Object. The only Objection againſt this Interpretation, is the Judgment of Mr. Ainſworth, and our Engliſh Annotators, who take the Sabbath, Levit. 23. for the Feaſt of the Paſſover Sabbath.

p. 195Anſw. 1. Herein they are led by the common Opinion of the Hebrew Doctors, who indeed are excellent Guides when they keep the beaten Road of Scripture; but in many things made void the Commandments of God by their Traditions. Let this Miſtake lie at their door; for certainly a miſtake it is, and that the morrow after the Sabbath could not be the Paſſover, is clear, becauſe,

2. It muſt be ſuch a Morrow after the Sabbath as never falls upon the weekly Sabbath: the reaſon is plain, becauſe it is the beginning of Harveſt, when they put in their Sickle to the Corn, or their Harveſt, Levit. 23. 10. Which the are expreſly forbidden to do upon their weekly Sabbath, Exod. 34. 21, 22. Six days thou ſhalt labour, but on the ſeventh thou ſhalt reſt, both in earing Time and Harveſt. And ſee how this is coupled with the Feaſt of firſt Fruits in the very ſame place, Thou ſhalt obſerve the Feaſt of Weeks, &c.

3. Obſerve it, if the morrow after the Sabbath, Levit. 23. had been the Morrow after the Paſſover, this would often have fallen on the weekly Sabbath: for the Paſſover being fixed upon the 15th of Niſan, whenever this 15th of Niſan fell upon the Friday, the morrow after it muſt be Saturday, and ſo they muſt begin to reap their Harveſt on the weekly Sabbath againſt the expreſs Command of God.

The Hebrew Doctors foreſaw this Inconvenience, and had no other way to ſalve it, but by affirming that this reaping did drive away the Sabbath, and that it was lawful on the Sabbath-day. A moſt impious Opinion! for it croſſes the very Letter of God's Law, in …aring-time and harveſt thou ſhalt reſt.

4. The morrow after the Sabbath, at the beginning p. 196of their Account, muſt be ſuch a Morrow as concludes it, Levit. 23. 15, 16. therefore it could not be the morrow after the Paſſover-Sabbath, or any Feſtival; for there was no ſuch Sabbath at the end of any Account whatſoever.

5. The Paſſover-Sabbath was fixed to a certain day of the Month, namely, the 15th of the firſt Month;Numb. 28. 17.Num 28:17 and thus all their other Feſtivals had their fixed days.

But this Feaſt of Pentecoſt is no where affixed in all the Books of Moſes to any certain day of the Month: Nor indeed could it be, unleſs God ſhould make a Ceremonial Law to croſs the Law of Nature; or rather limit the courſe of Divine Providence, to ripen their Corn juſt againſt ſuch a day of the Month: which, as Dr. Vſher obſerves, is a very great preſumption that the Feaſt of Pentecoſt was a moveable Feaſt, but immoveable as to the day of the Week; ſo varying, that it might always fall upon the day immediately following the ordinary Sabbath.

6. The Antitype is the beſt Key to unlock the Type: And this is clear in the New Teſtament; for that Chriſt was our firſt Fruits in reference to his Reſurrection,1 Cor. 15. 20.1 Cor 15:20 St. Paul aſſures us; and that he roſe from the dead on the morrow after the weekly Sabbath, all the four Evangeliſts do inform us. And Tho. Tillam has granted, that theſe things muſt be punctually fulfilled by Chriſt, as well in the Time**Truth or Antitype. as in the Type.

From his own Grant therefore I conclude, that the Day of firſt Fruits was the firſt day of the Week, and therefore was the Day of Pentecoſt, to the everlaſting honour of that Lord's Day, and the Glory of God the Holy Ghoſt, who ſanctified it by his Preſence and Power, ſending down a new ſupply of Tongues from p. 197Heaven (as if all the Tongues upon Earth were not ſufficient) to ſound forth the Praiſes of this Redeemer, and ſpread the Goſpel all over the World on the firſt day of the Week, as an earneſt whereof there was a glorious beginning made on this Day.

The Goſpel was now publiſhed to ſome of all Nations, there being a great concourſe even of every Nation under Heaven met at Jeruſalem, Acts 2. 5. and at this Meeting three thouſand Souls were converted and baptized, ver. 41. A double Baptiſm was indeed diſpenſed this Day; the Apoſtles were now baptized with Fire, and three thouſand Converts with Water; which was ſuch a Solemnity, as the Church of God never ſaw the like to that day, nor ſince.

Our Adverſary Tillam Confeſſes,Pag. 81. that this was the moſt glorious Sabbath that ever the Church enjoyed; only he perſwaded himſelf and others it was the Saturday-Sabbath: but herein he befools himſelf, and deceives others.

5. 'Tis ſtrange indeed any ſhould once ſuppoſe the Feaſt of Pentecoſt could ever fall on the Seventh-day Sabbath; becauſe as the Wave-Offering was to be offered the morrow after the Sabbath, ſo from that very day incluſively they were to count ſeven Sabbaths, and then the morrow after the laſt of the ſeven was the fifth day, i. e. Pentecoſt. I need not ſay any more to this.

To conclude, after all attempts to the contrary, the Glory of the Spirit's Miſſion reſts on the firſt day of the Week: This day the Church of Chriſt was viſited from on high, the Promiſe of the Father was ſent, the bleſſed Spirit came; the Diſciples were aſſembled, Peter preached, and three thouſand were converted and baptized; and all this is written: Why the Church p. 198aſſembled? (as Mr. Sprint argues) Why on this Day? Why the Holy Ghoſt? Why preaching, why converſion, and adminiſtration of the Sacraments? Why the Promiſe of Chriſt accompliſhed all on this Day? but ſtill to declare the Will of Chriſt in appointing, bleſſing, and ſanctifying of this Day to his Church, and making it a day of publick ſolemn Worſhip, as a Day in all its Prerogatives above all other Days: A Day of Chriſt's Reſurrection, by which we are juſtified, in which he ceaſed from his Work, as God did from his on the Seventh, and ſo hath the ſame reaſon for a Day of Reſt: the Day … the Holy Spirit's deſcenſion, by whom we are ſanctified: a Day of aſſembling and preaching, on which Sinners were converted, and Believers edified; by which the whole Trinity is glorified.

And where is he now, who ſaid, none can prove one whole firſt Day was kept in religious Worſhip in all the New Teſtament? Was not this firſt Day ſo kept, and eſtabliſhed for us to obſerve and keep from morning to evening?