The Life and Death of Sir Henry Vane, Part 3
Concerning the SABBATH.
HE accounted the Iewish Sabbath Ceremonious and Temporary, ending upon the coming of the Son of man, who was Lord of the Sabbath day, Mat. 12. 8. And if he had thought that which is commonly observed in the room thereof, to be rather a Magistratical Institution among Christians, in imitation of the Iewish, then that which hath any clear appointment in the Gospel, the Apostle would not have him judged for it. One man (saies he) esteems one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully perswaded in his own mind. He that regardeth a day, regardeth it unto the Lord, and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it, Rom. 14. 5, 6. This I can say, he usually took the opportunity of spending more time in exercise and prayer in his family, or other Christian Meetings on that day, than on any other.
And will any yet say he was a Sabbath breaker? If they do, see what company we may find for him under that imputation, Iohn 9. 16. The Pharisees said, this man is not of God because he keepeth not the Sabbath day. So Ioh. 5. 16. The Iewes did pe…secute Iesus and sought to slay him, for curing the impotent man at the Poole of Be…hesda…, and bidding him take up his bed and walk, on the Sabbath day. Yea, with this they joyn another sad charge, as they reckon, that he had not onelyonly broken the Sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, therefore they sought the more to kill him, vers. 18. And John 19. 7. They answer Pilate, we have a Law, and by our Law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. What strange work do the Sons of Men make with the Sons of God, with the spirit, wisdom, righteousness, glory and kingdom of God? It was the religious professing Iew that Crucified Christ, and persecuted Paul where ever he came. Pilate, the Roman Magistrate would have acquitted Christ; and Paul rather appeals to Caesar's Judgement seat, than appear before the Iewish Consistory, Act. 25.
The true spiritual Sabbath is to be continually kept, as it is charactered by Esay, Chap. 58. 13. consisting in a…c…ssation from the single activity, thoughts, words and ways of our spirit, which is but letter, and in the performance of all duty, by power of the communicated spirit of the new creation, springing up in us, which alone is worshipping God in spirit and in truth, after his own heart.
He was for taking all opportunities of assembling our selves together, to instruct and exhort one another, and so much the more as we see the day approaching, (Heb. 10. 25.) Looking for and hasting unto the comming of that day of God, wherein the Heavens will be dissolved, and the Elements will melt with fervent heat, 2 Pet. 3. 12.
He was such a right spirited Latitudinarian as Paul was, (1 Cor. 9. 20.) became all things to all men, that by all means he might save some.
He was against the exercise of a coercive Magistratical power in Religion and Worship; and for the single Rule, Power, and Authority that Christ himself claimes, as his peculiar prerogative in and over the hearts and consciences of all men. How grosly inconcinnous must it needs appear even to the common reason of all mankind, that such as take upon them to be Magistrates and Rulers, whether the People will or no, as it often falls out, yea, or though freely chosen, should give the Rule to all others Consciences, in point of Religion, when they many times have no Religion at all in themselves, nor any other Conscience but a dead or feared one, hardened in the most brutish vilenesses, that the basest of men can be guilty of? But if the Magistrate do plausibly pretend to something of Religion, what a chang…ble thing will Religion be at this rate? as …ickle as the Magistrates Judgement, at least as his person, for the next Ruler may be of another perswasion, as this Nation hath experienced off and on, between Popery, and the Protestant profession, in Hen. 8. Ed. 6. and the two Queens, Mary and Elizabeth.