Anti-Paedobaptism Part 3, Section 77
SECT. LXXVII. Mr. William Carters attempt of proving the Christian Sabbath from Heb. 4.7, 9, 10. is shewed to be succesless, and so useless for proof of Infant Baptism.
THere is a Treatise intituled, The Covenant of God with Abraham opened by Mr. William Carter, which pretends to clear the duty of Infant Baptism, and in his Epistle to the Reader saith, the root of this matter is the Covenant of God with Abraham; which because of the eminency of the Author, and the publishing it in observance (as is said) of the commands of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Sheriffs of the City of London, rather then for any shew of strength in the discourse, I shall examine, that if this Review come to their hands, they also may discern their mistakes. Which I think necessary to be done, because he also (as other Paedobaptists use to do) is not afraid upon his own conjectures (for they are no better) to charge us who baptize not infants as breaking Abrahams Covenant, as small friends to Christs Kingdome, waving and neglecting the right way of increasing that Kingdome, and of exalting his Throne and power in the world, taking-up ways unnatural, unsafe and false. Let…s then see what he writes.
Afore he meddles with the point of infant Baptism (which he saith is the thing he especially intended in his discourse) he endeavours to deduce the Christian Sabbath, as it is termed, from Heb. 4. I omit that he saith, p. 3. that Heb. 2.15, 16. the birthright vendible is their priviledges in the Church, and worship of the Gospel, and that p. 6. he expound… the holding …ast …he confidence or liberty and the rejoycing of the hope, Heb. 3.6. by holding fast the ordinances and priviledges of the Gospel: Which if he mean (as he seems to do) of the o…twar… priviledges and worship, it appears that he mistakes, sith the birthright not to be sold, and the confidence and rejoycing of hope are greater matters, which no hypocrite may attain to, and are plainly intimated Heb. 12.14, 15. to be the seeing of God, the attaining his grace, and the estate Evangelical mentioned v. 22, 23, 24. which they might sell, though they never had it, by their Apostacy from their profession of Christ, through whom they were in expectation of it, at least in appearance. And in like manner the boldness, liberty, confidence, or r…joycing of their hope, must needs be of something yet attainable, and not to be attained without holding it to the end, v. 6, 14. and which no unbelievers could attain to; which are not true of bare outward Chu…ch priviledges and Gospel worship, but of that salvation mentioned Heb. …. the grace brought in the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Pet. 1.13. whereby we are Gods house, Heb▪ 3.6. are partakers of Christ, v. 14. But I shall insist somewhat on that he saith p. 8. that by to day if ye will hear his voice, in that Psal. 95.7. is meant the Christian Sabbath day, by whi…h he means the day which in the New Testament is termed the Lords day or first day in the week, which I conceive not right for these reasons. 1. The day, Heb. 4.7. i… a limited or definite day, and that must needs imply this meaning; [This is the day in which if ye hear his voyce and harden not your hearts, ye may enter into …ods rest; if ye do not this day, ye will come short.] Which if true, then (as Mr. C. expounds it) though they should hear the voice of Christ, and not harden their hearts on the week day, yet they should not enter into the rest promised, which I think will be counted absurd, and evacuate the hopes by all the week day Lectures. 2. From H…b. 3.13. I thus argue. To day, Heb 3.7. is the same with the space of time which i… called …o day, v. 13. This is so evident in the Text, that every one that re…ds the …ext will easily perceive it, sith it is plain, that the calling it to day is meant …f the calling it i… that place v. …. and the words▪ lest any of you be hardened ▪ shew it. But [to day, Heb. 2.13▪] is meant of any day▪ o… every day wherein Christians might exhort one another, therefore not restrained to the Lords day: but either extended to t…e whole space of time they live on earth, or to any opportunity in any day whatsoever, whether week day or Lords d…y, wherein they might exhort 3. B… comparing these plac…s with … Cor 6 2 where it is said, [Now is the accepted time, now … the d…y of salvation,] which seem plainly to intimate the same day with that which is meant Heb. 3.7, 13. and that day being manifestly meant of the time wherein the Embassadours for Christ do beseech men to bee reconciled to GOD, 2 Cor. 5.20. it is very probable or rather certain, that to day, Heb. 3.7, 13. & 4.7. is not meant particularly the Lords day or first day of the week, but any day of a mans life wherein the Gospel of Christ is preached, and reconciliation to God offered him; and received by him. Or as Cameron. quaest. in Epist. ad Heb. 3.7. That time which by the Prophets and Apostle is called the last dayes and fulness of time, which is the time of the Messiah exhibited, not precisely the Lords day or first day of the week. Let us view Mr. Carters reasons for his conceit.
First, it is evident that it is meant of a day of rest c…ap. 4, 7, 8. for if Joshuah had given them rest, namely that rest of which David speaketh, then hee would not aftewards have spoken of another day, therefore of a day of rest i… must bee meant, else the Apostles argument had not been concluding nor pertinent, because many other days might have afterwards been spoken off, although Joshuah had given them all the rest that was ever to bee expected.
Answ. It is true that he Authour of that Epistle doth rightly gather from the word [to day] that there was another day of rest yet remaining for the people of God besides the seventh day rest, a…d the rest in the Land o… Canaan which they p…ssessed by Joshuah ▪s conduct, yet doth not imply that the day in which the word was spoken was the day of rest. But thus hee gathers it, These words were spoken by David many hundreds of years both after God sware in the Wilderne…s they should not enter into his rest who believed not, and after Joshuah had setled the posterity of the unbelievers in the land of Canaan, and therefore the rest in the land of Canaan is not that which is meant in Davids speech, but there is implied a future day of rest to bee attained by believing in JESUS the Messiah. For David if it had been meant of the rest in Canaan would not have spoken to them not to harden their hearts f…r fear of being excluded from Gods rest.
Secondly, saith Mr C. It is meant of such a rest as GOD can and sometimes doth swear in his wrath against his own people, who are his house, and the people of his pasture, that they shall not enter into it: this cannot bee said of what they enjoy in their personal in…erest by faith onelyonly; but as for the co…fort of his ordinances and Sabbath.
Answ. To omit the unfitness of the expression, sith the comfort of Gods Ordinances and Sabbath is a personal interest enjoyed by faith onelyonly, it is not true, that what is said of the rest cannot bee meant of what the people of God enjoy in their personal interest by faith onelyonly, because of Gods oath. For that oath doth not imply that believers shall not enter into the rest, yea the Apostles inference is to the contrary v 1, 6. sith some were not to enter in, others were to enter in, and sith GOD sware some should not, hee promised some should, and chap. 3.18. sith some entred not through unbelief, others in whom the word is mixed with faith, ch. 4.2. do enter in. And this is a good argument that the rest mentioned is not the Christian Sabbath day which is the first day of the week, sith they that believe not come short of it; it's a consequent upon the holding the boldness, confidence and rejoycing of our hope firm to the end; it was then in promise to the Hebrews, and remained to the people of God, who were to bee warned that they came not short of it; where as the Sabbath dayes rest was then in p…ssession, not to bee expected afterwards, but then in use when this Epistle was written, and yet such as hypocrites, unbelievers, and Apostats did in some sort enjoy as well as sincere persevering believers.
Thirdly, saith Mr. C. That it is meant of a Sabbath dayes rest, appeareth by the manner of the Apostles arguing in this place, in as much as the Apostle proveth it to be another day of rest, besides what was in use in the Church before. Another in opposition to the 7th. day Sabbath, and that because David speaketh of it as a rest to bee entered into a long time after; although the 7th. days rest was entered into from the beginning of the world, in as much as hee spake as it is Heb. 4.4, 5. implying a promise that some shall, though others shall not enter into it. Now, sayes the Apostle, this being spoken by the Prophet David of a time then to come: and again, as Heb. 4.7, 9. over and beside the seventh dayes Sabbath. Now from this his manner of arguing it is evident, that he supposeth this day of which David speaketh, saying, To day if ye will hear his voice, to be a day of the same kinde as the seventh dayes Sabbath was; because else there had been no such opposition to bee made, nor would there have been place for an although, or a notwithstanding, in the case, as in v. 31. because any other rest might have also been entred into from the beginning of the world, as a believers personal rest by faith was; but that which maketh the opposition is, that David speaketh of a Sabbath dayes rest, to be entred into now a long time after, even in the times of the New Testament, of which times that Psal. 95. is a prophesie, as appeareth by the Apostles application of it in this place, and thereupon hee concludes it to bee another day of rest remaining for us besides the seventh dayes rest. By this wee see that by to day if yee will hear his voice is not meant onelyonly of a Christians personal rest by faith, which is every days enjoyment, and was entred into from the beginning of the world, but of another Sabbath dayes rest besides what was in use before.
Answ. It is not denied that Psal 95. is a prophesie, nor that it speaks of a rest to be a long time after Davids time, even in the times of the New Testament, nor that [although] doth imply a distinct rest from the seventh day Sabbath rest, and an opposition of that kinde which some Logicians call disparato, though others will not have it called opposition but distinction; yet the words Heb. 4 3. are not as Mr. C. cites them, [although the seventh days rest was entred into from the beginning of the world] but [although the works were … or finished from the foundation of the world.] Nevertheless, this doth not prove that either the rest is not a believers personal rest by faith, or that it is of the same kinde with a meer weekly Sabbath dayes rest, but rather the contrary. It is distinguished from the seventh day Sabbaths rest, and so it is also from the rest which the Israelites had by Joshuah's conduct in the land of Canaan, which the Authour mentions v. 8. as well as the seventh dayes rest v. 4. and therefore the seventh dayes rest opposed to the rest v. 7, 9. doth no more prove the day of rest to be a day of the same kinde, as the seventh day Sabbath was then the day of rest in Canaan by Joshuahs leading. Yea, sith the seventh days rest mentioned Heb. 4.4. is onelyonly Gods rest, it is apparent the day of rest is of different kinde from an ordinary Sabbath dayes rest. Neither doth the term [although] impart any such identity of kinde, but that God spake of another rest of his, athough hee had rested long ago when his works were finished from the foundation of the world. Yea the words Heb 4.10. Hee that is entred into his rest hath also ceased from his works as God did from his, (which expresseth the rest for the people of God yet remaining v. 9.) do shew that the day of rest is not till a mans works bee ceased, which I know not how to understand of any other works then his works of labour and sufferings, which are not till the end of this life; and therefore the sabbatism or day of rest is not here the keeping of a weekly sabbath, but a day of rest, as is meant Revel. 14.13. which though it bee not every dayes enjoyment, yet it may bee a Christians personal test by faith onelyonly, that is that rest which by faith onelyonly is entred into or obtained. And though it were entred into by all believers from the foundation of the world, yet it was not so conspicuously as when Christ entred into the heavens; However those Hebrews and the believers to come after had not then entred into it. That the Sabbath days rest was in use before, proves against Mr. C. that the rest was not of the same kinde, unless in manner of a type or shadow, as one thing like that's resembled by another may in a Catachrestique manner be termed of the same kinde with that which resembles.
Mr. C. adds. Fourthly it is meant of a day of rest to bee celebrated in Gods house in his worship. So the Apostle concludeth v. 9. There remaineth therefore a Sabbatism foreign the celebration of a Sabbath for the people of God: a word comprehending the Sabbath and worship put together as was before observed. And the coherence of the words Psal. 95. implieth as much Psal. 95.6, 7, 8. It appeareth also from the Apostles wherefore, chap. 3.7. His house are we; wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if yee will hear his voyce, &c. So as if the question bee what voice? Or what day? The answer from the Psalm and from the Apostles inference must bee this, the day of worshipping the Lord our Maker, and of resting with him in his house, and his voice, whose house we are, inviting us to it.
Answ. Sabbatism in the notation of the word imports no more then rest: what it imports in the use of it I cannot discern but from this place, sith I know not where it is used in the New Testament but here, nor in any other authour afore this. Here it appears not to import any more then rest, sith it expresseth but what is expressed by foreign, v. 8, 10, 11. though I conceive that the matter shews it to bee meant of a holy rest, it being th… rest of Gods people. But that the word comprehends rest and worship put together, I do not conceive. For the word a…ludes to the Sabbath Gen. 2.2, 3. quo…ed Heb. 4.3, 4. Now Gods …est imported not worship, though his appoint…ng us to rest on the Sabbath, and to sanctifie it, doth import our worship of him. Nor do I think the coherence of the words Psal. 95.6, 7, 8. doth imply that S…bbatism H…b. 4.9. comprehends the S…bbath and worship put together, or tha… Psal. 95.7. To day if yee will hear his voyce, is meant of a day of rest to bee celebrated in the house of God in his wo…shi…, sith in those words there is not the word Sabbatism, and the Exhortation, To day if yee will hear his voyce, doth not app…ar to have been on the weekly Sabbath da…, the Ps…lm being not (as the 94th. Psalm) intituled▪ A Psalm for the Sabbath, and it is more likely that [to day if you will hear his voyce] intimates the day at the end of every seven years in the solemnity of the year of release in the feast of tabernacles, when all Israel was come to appear before the Lord in the place which he should chuse, and the Law was to bee read before all Israel in their hearing, Deut. 31.10, 11. at which time of the year every year they had gathered in their Corn and Wine, Deut. 16.13. and then they had no harvest, and so it was the fittest time to resem…le the rest remaining …o Gods people; yet so far was it from being the weekly Sabbath day, that as Ainsworth notes on Deut. 31.11. The Jewish Doctors say that if the day of the assembling of the people happened to bee the Sabbath day, the reading of the Law was put off till after. Yet were it the Sabbath day, it doth not follow, that it is meant of a day of rest to be celebrated in the house of God in his worship, for the weekly Sabbath was not celebrated in the house of God, that is, the Tabernacle or Temple; but in their dwellings, Exod. 16.29. And therefore if the term [foreign wherefore, Heb. 3.7.] did refer to whose house ye are, v. 6. (though I conceive the inference is made from the words, if wee hold fast the confidence and re…oycing of the hope firm unto the end) yet it proves it not to bee a weekly Sabbath of rest to bee celebrated in the house of God in his worship. For the weekly sabbath was not celebrated in Gods house, and if it were, each Christian or the Church were not fit to answer Gods house in which it was celebrated, sith they are not the place where, that made the worship of God accepted as the Tab…rnacle or Temple that is proper to CHRIST and his body, John 2.19. Heb. 8 2. but the persons by whom it is celebrated and who worship God. Lastly, were all this granted, that Heb. 4.7. were meant a day of rest to bee celebrated in the house of God in his worship, yet this might be mean… of the rest in heaven often called Gods house, where the Elders cast down their crowns before God and worship and praise him, and not the weekly Sabbath.
Fifthly, saith Mr. C. Because the Apostle understands it of a day to be kept upon the same ground, in relation unto Christ his ceasing from his works and entring into his rest, as the 7th. day Sabbath was in relation to God his ceasing from his works, after his making the first crea…ion, and entring into his. So i… followeth v. 10. Which to be meant of Christ, and his entrance into his rest (which he makes to be his passing into heaven, v. 14) inferred from his entring into his rest v. 10. he endeavours to prove by 5 reasons.
Answ. 1. The coherence be…ween Heb. 4.9▪ and v. 10. doth rather intimate that [he that is entred into his rest, v. 10.] is a term common to all the people of God mentioned v. 9. and the exhortation v. 11. doth also import, t…at the person that enters into his rest v. 10 is meant every believer. Nor is any one of Mr. Cs. reasons convincing of the contrary. For 1. let the translation be mended as Mr. C. would have it, yet it may be true of every believer, that he also hath ceased from his wor…s▪ as God did from his own works. 2. Seeing then, v. 14. may point out to what is said, Heb 3.…, 2, 3. 3. If Heb 4 10. cannot be meant of ceasing from sin, yet it may be from lab…rious works and sufferings as Revel. 14.13. and such rest may be … with refreshing, and looking upon them as good. 4. That v. 10. should be taken for a proof of v 9. is not necessary; foreign being not always causal or rati…nal, yet if it were, it might be thus, The rest of the people of God in heaven sha…l be a Sabbatism like Gods; for such of them as shall enter into their rest, shall cease, or have ceased from their sufferings and painfull works, as God did from his in the beginning. 5. What he saith, that Christ were not Lord of the Sabbath, as he saith Mark 2.28. Luke 6.5. unless he had entred into his rest, or as p. 75. he could not be Lord of the Sabbath, unless he also had a rest which he entred into as God did into his, i… without proof, and is false; sith Christ speaks of his being Lord of the Sabbath at that time afore he entred into his rest; and doth imply that which some would call blasphemy, that Christ as God had not been Lord of the Sabbath unless he had entred into his rest as man. But were it granted, that Christ by reason of his entring into his rest as man, was Lord of the Sabbath, doth that prove that Heb. 4.10. is meant of Christs entring into his rest? or is it not rather a baculo ad angulum? But were it granted that Heb. 4.10. were meant of Christs entring into heaven, yet the rest before mentioned is rather thereby confirmed to be meant of rest in heaven with Christ, then rest on earth on a weekly sabbath, sith the argument is strong thus, Christ is passed into his rest in the heavens, therefore there is a rest remaining for the people of God there; but hath no strength thus, Christ is entred into the heavens to rest, therefore there remains to the people of God a weekly day of rest on earth. Lastly, this very reason quite overthrows Mr. Cs. building. For he would ground the week day Sabbath upon Christs entring into his rest, and this day he would have to be the first day of the week, and the reason for inferring a week day Sabbath upon Christs entring into his rest is taken from the rest of God after the first creation, whereby the 7th. day Sabbath was sanctified: Now if there be the like reason of keeping a week day Sabbath because of Christs rest, as there was of keeping the 7th. day Sabbbath because of Gods rest, then it will not be the first day of the week which must be the Sabbath, for that was not the day of his entring into his rest, but another day, to wit, the fifth day of the week, as may be gathered from Acts 1.3. Mr. C. himself, p. 76. though he say that it is very probable that the ascension day was on the first day of the week, yet confesseth it not to be clear; and the reason of the probability from Act. 1. by the computation of the forty days from his resurrection, and the mention of a Sabbath days journey, from Mount Olivet to Jerusalem, occasioned (as is likely) from their making that journey then upon that day, v. 12. is so slender, that I know not that ever any learned man did conceive so with him; and the computation of forty days from his resurrection, being on the first day of the week (though the day of the resurrection contrary to the common computation should be excluded) will not fix the Ascention day on the first day of the week, but two days at least short of it. And for the mention of a Sabbath days journey, Act. 1.12. it is clear from the words that it was onelyonly to shew the distance of the place from Jerusalem, not to shew that day to have been the Sabbath day. I list not to trouble my self about the reason of using that expression rather then another, it being not material. Yet were it granted it had been on the Sabbath day, it had not been the first day of the week, for that is not termed in Scripture, certainly not in the Acts of the Apostles, the Sabbath day. What Mr. C. adds. But albeit his rest was not compleated till he passed into the heavens, yet he first entred into it at his resurrection▪ which being upon the first day of the week, there needeth no more to fix the command of the Sabbath on that day, doth overthrow his arguing from Heb. 4.7, 9, 10, 14. whence he would deduce the Christian Sabbath because of Christs entring into his rest at his passing into the heavens. Which hurts not others, as Mr. Cawdrey, Sabb. Rediv. part 4. sect. 23. who confesseth the words Heb. 4.10. not to be spoken of Christ, though he allude to them. I have insisted on this point by the way, because Mr. C. makes use of it for infant Baptism, but to how little purpose the sequel will shew.
Mr. C. for proof of infant Baptism, p. 20. layes down this position, that what the Lord confirmed by oath to Abraham, he confirmed it to us, even to all believers after Christ to the worlds end; which I grant if understood of spiritual Evangelical promises which accompany salvation, but not if meant of those peculiar blessings and priviledges which were promised to Abrahams natural seed. Yet in his proof of that position I conceive sundry things not right which are vented by him, as p. 28. that the voice of Christ meant Heb. 3.7. is an inviting us to celebrate his day of rest in his house in the worship of the Gospel, which he means of a weekly Sabbath, and a particular Congregation, and outward worship, as sundry passages following shew; and this he makes a part of the Gospel, p. 31. and the believer that neglects it comes short of the promise of entring into Gods rest, and is a departing from the living God, Heb. ….12. in tanto, though not in toto. In which speeches as there is much mistake, and wrong interpretation of the Text, which speaks not of such a week day rest, or the house of God in the second capacity as he terms it, or of entrance into his rest as his house in that capacity, so that speech is very dangerous, Now this entrance into his rest as his house in this second capacity, is that which the Apostle chiefly speaketh to here, when he saith, Take heed brethren of an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. And that in case the people of his pasture, and sheep of his hand, even his own children, will not hear his voyce, but forsake his worship, refusing his offer in this Gospel rest as they did in Canaan rest, he will also swear against them as he did against these, that they shall not enter into his rest. Which if true, then they that are not convinced of the weekly Christian Sabbath, as many godly and learned Divines in forreign parts, and in these Nations are not, those who do not on that day joyn in the publike and solemn worship, as prayer, preaching, breaking bread, and that too in a particular gathered Congregation, as Se…kers, and many other persons, whereof we cannot but judge many of them to be godly, these are chiefly meant by the Apostle as those that have an evil heart of unbelief, depart from the living God, God will swear they shall not enter into his rest. Nor will the limitation in tanto help to free his speech from those horrid consequences, which it is liable to, if it be true▪ which he saith, that the Apostle chiefly speaketh to that entrance in his rest as his house in the second capacity, Heb. 3.12. and to expound Gods swearing that they should not en…er into his rest in that sense, if they did not hear his voyce inviting to keep the Sabbath, makes the speech inept thus, If ye will not keep the Sabbath, I swear ye shall not keep the Sabbath. Nor do I conceive what he saith, p. 34. is right, that Christ gave his Saints the Keys of the Kingdome of Heaven. Matth. 16.18. and from that gift to Peter the Saints do claim their Church power, each according to their place and station in the Church; for they have it as Peters, that is, as stones in that building, or if you will, as confessours, which makes them to be stones in the house of God: For neither by the Keys is meant all Church power, nor are the Keys given to the Saints, much less to them as stones or confessours, though such things are supposed oft times, but not proved▪ But I hasten to the view of what follows, being the chief thing Mr. C. infers his infant Baptism from.