The Christian Sabbath Defended, Section 8 · Subsection

The Christian Sabbath Defended · Section 8 · Subsection

p. 187The Doctrine of the Sabbath conſidered.

FIrſt, I come to the Doctrine of the Sabbath tranſlated by the Prefacer; I nothing doubt but the Author thereof will take in good part my paines in the diſcuſſion of it, conſidering the preſent occaſion urging mee hereunto; Out of the variety of his reading, hee obſerves many wild derivations of the name Sabbath, and out of his judgment doth pronounce that the Jewes by their Bacchanalian rites gave the World juſt occaſion to ſuspect, that they did conſecrate the Sabbath unto Revells rather then Gods ſervice. As for the rigorous keeping of the day in p. 188ſuch ſort;Sect. 2. as neither to kindle fire in the Winter-time wherewith to warme themſelves: or to dreſſe meat for the ſuſtentation of themſelves; I am ſo farre from juſtifying it, that I willingly profeſſe I am utterly ignorant, where any ſuch Chriſtians live, that preſſe any ſuch rigorous obſervation of it. The Jewes were bound to obſerve the reſt on that day for a myſterious ſignification ſake, and thereupon depended their rigorous obſerving of a reſt, as many thinke, and not Lyra alone. We muſt know (ſaith hee) that reſt from manuall works is not (now) ſo rigorouſly obſerved as in the old Law, becauſe meate may be dreſſed, and other things done on the Lords Day, which were not lawfull on the Sabbath: becauſe that reſt was in part figurative, as was the whole ſtate under the Law, 1 Cor. 10. All things befell them in figure; Now in that which is figurative, if you take away never ſo little; (that is, if that which is figurative bee not exactly obſerved) the whole and intire ſignification faileth, like as if you take away but one letter from the name of Lapis, the whole and intire ſignification is deſtroyed. To deale plainely, my opinion is, that all ſports, and paſtimes on the Lords Day, are a breaking of the reſt belonging to it, and a profanation of that day which ought to be ſanctified; And I truſt, herein I differ not one jot from the whole Parliament, 1^o. Caroli; wherein was expreſſely prohibited, that any man ſhould goe out of his owne Pariſh to any ſports, and paſtimes on the Sabbath day; and this is done to prevent the profanation of it, as appeares clearely by the reaſons of that Act; which Parliament was held certaine yeares after this Lecture, concerning the Doctrine of the Sabbath, was read in the Ʋniverſity. And I nothing doubt but the cenſure of a Zelote will paſſe upon mee for this, though wee ſhew no more zeale in ſaying, that The Lords Day is by ſome licentiouſly profaned, then others doe in profeſſing that the Lord Day is by us ſuperſtitiouſly obſerved; nay who are the greateſt zelotes in their cauſe, let the Chriſtian World judge by the effects; This is all I have to note concerning the firſt Section. I come unto the ſecond.

Secondly, and here in the firſt place concerning the inſtitution of it; let mee take leave to profeſſe, that the queſtion it p. 189ſelfe is not indifferenly ſtated, when it is ſtated thus, whether before the publiſhing of Moſes Law, the Sabbath was to be obſerved by the law of Nature. For I am verily perſwaded, that the Doctor himſelfe will not affirme, that after the publiſhing of Moſes law, it was to be obſerved by the law of nature; underſtanding by the law of nature (as I preſume he doth) ſuch a law as is knowne by the very light of nature. Ariſtotle hath taught us in generall, that morall duties are rather wrought upon a ſober conſcience by perſwaſion, than doe carry with them any convincing evidence of demonſtration. Yet it is confeſſed, that by the light of nature, ſome time ought to be ſet apart, even for the publike ſervice and worſhip of God, and not onelyonly ſo, but alſo it is nothing leſſe cleare, that a ſufficient proportion of time muſt be alloted to the profeſſed ſervice of our Creator. But wherein this ſufficient proportion of time doth conſiſt, we are to ſeek, being left unto our ſelves, and in my judgement, conſidering what we are, it is very fit we ſhould be to ſeeke in this; that ſo our eyes may wait upon the direction of our Maker. For, is it fit that ſervants ſhould cut out a proportion of ſervice to their Maſter at their owne pleaſure, and not rather be guided herein by their Maſters pleaſure, eſpecially by ſuch a Maſter, to whom wee owe not onelyonly all that wee doe enjoy, but our ſelves alſo; who holdeth our ſoules in life, and in whoſe hands is the breath of all man-kinde. The queſtion thus untowardly propoſed, it is ſubjoyned that, They commonly which are more apt to ſay any thing, than able afterward to prove it, maintaine affirmatively that it was. Doctor Rivet having propoſed this, addeth, that if it be ſpoken of the law of nature, properly ſo called, ſcarce any one will be found to maintaine any ſuch thing. And indeed, the queſtion in hand, is of the inſtitution of the Sabbath: Now, no wiſe man uſeth to inquire of the inſtitution of that which is written in our hearts, and knowne unto us by the very common light of nature. It is true, ſome fetch the originall thereof from the beginning of the world, when God firſt bleſſed the ſeventh day and ſanctified it: And what other ſenſe this can have, than that God commanded it to be ſet apart for holy uſes, wee cannot deviſe; For ſeeing Gods bleſſing and ſanctifying of it doth undoubtedly denote p. 190ſome act of God, this muſt be either an immanent act, or an act tranſient; Not an act immanent, for all ſuch are eternall, but this was temporall, following upon Gods reſt on the ſeventh: For therefore (it is ſaid) God bleſſed the ſeventh day, and ſanctified it; and being an act tranſient and temporall, it muſt declare his will to have it ſanctified, that is (by the generall notion of the word) ſet apart, that is, from profane and ſecular, to holy uſes; And how could this will of God be manifeſted but by commandement, ſeeing it is a will of God not ſo much concerning what ſhall be done, as concerning what ſhall be mans duty to doe? And this hath both Walaeus, and after him Rivetus juſtified, and this latter againſt Gomarus, once and againe, and that by divers arguments. And thus, as we have expreſſe Scripture for it, ſo we have as evident reaſon to juſtifie it: For, no other ground can be deviſed for the dividing of the whole courſe of time into weeks, each conſiſting of ſeven dayes, than as it ſtands in congruity to Gods making the world in ſix dayes, and reſting on the ſeventh. Which diviſion of time was undoubtedly obſerved by the Iſraelites, and received by them from their forefathers, yea, and from the Patriarches of old, who lived before the flood, and that continued without alteration even from the Creation of the world; For otherwiſe they could not have diſcerned what days had been anſwerable to the firſt ſix of the Creation, and what day to the ſeventh, wherein God reſted, having finiſhed the creation. But this was well known unto them, as appears by their gathering Manna, and promulgation of the 4^th Commandement, together with the reſt on Mount Sinai; Nay, this diviſion of time into weeks, was generally obſerved among the heathens, as hath been ſhewed by great variety of reading, and that this hath beene the moſt ancient diviſion of time, thoſe other diviſions into moneths and into yeeres, comming in place long after, according as the motion of the Moone and of the Sunne were found out by Aſtrologers, not till then, like as the denomination of the ſeven dayes of the weeke by the ſeverall names of the planets, was not brought in, untill the ſeverall motions of all the Planets, come to be diſcovered. As for the ſecond reaſon propoſed thus on our part; If all the reſt p. 191of the Commandements flow from the principles of nature, how is this excluded? It is not fit that any man ſhould take upon him the ſhaping of his adverſaries arguments; That this Commandement ſhould be taken for a part of the morall Law, I wonder that any man ſhould be ſo unreaſonable as to deny; but that this Commandement ſhould flow from the Principles of nature; and that delivered without diſtinction, I know no man that affirmes. But let us diſtinguiſh, and I make no doubt, but there will be found no difference of moment betweene Doctor Prideaux and us: For, I find no man to deny, but that ſome time in generall is to be ſet apart, as well for Gods publique worſhip and ſervice, as for private, and that this is acknowledged by the very light of nature; Only as touching the proportion of time that is to be ſet apart for Gods ſervice, herein we are to ſeeke; yet herein alſo the light of nature doth advantage us, and that ſufficiently in two particulars: For the truth whereof, I dare appeale to the judgement of Doctor Prideaux himſelfe. 1. The firſt is this, that not onelyonly ſome time, but a ſufficient proportion of time is to be conſecrated to the exerciſes of piety, both publique and private. Gomarus and Rivetus are driven to acknowledge this, in anſwer to Walaeus about the proportion of one day in ſeven. And whereas we may be to ſeeke of agreement about what is ſufficient: 2. Therefore in the next place, the very light of nature doth ſuggeſt unto us; that it is farre more fit that the Maſter ſhould preſcribe unto the ſervant, what proportion of ſervice he expects from his hands, than that the ſervant at his pleaſure ſhould cut out what proportion of ſervice he thinks good unto his Maſter; how much more fit that the Creator ſhould preſcribe unto his creature, then that the creature ſhould preſcribe unto his Creator; conſidering, 1. how the dominion of God over his creature is incomparably greater than that which any other Maſter hath over his ſervant. 2. That man may become unreaſonable in his demands and commands, God cannot. 3. God can give ſtrength to his creature to performe what he commands, man cannot. 4. The more cleare and expreſſe the Commandement is, the more comfortable to the creature, being hereby aſſured, the ſervice hee performes is in p. 192the way of obedience, not unto his owne will, but to the will of his Maſter. 3. May I not adde a third? namely, that by the very equity of a naturall conſcience, it is more fit to apportion unto Gods ſervice one day in a weeke, rather than one day in a monethmonth; eſpecially conſidering that originally time hath beene divided into weekes, and not into moneths, untill along time after. In all which, I am content to appeale to the judgement of Doctor Prideaux himſelfe. Yet we have not done in this argument; For in the fourth Commandement, there is enjoyned, not onelyonly the ſetting apart of ſome time in generall for Gods ſervice; and the proportion of one day in ſeven in ſpeciall, but alſo the particulating of a certaine day under this proportion; and who ſeeth not, that ſo many different things (though one in ſubordination to another) being duly conſidered, it is no way fit to confound them, and to ſpeake hand over head of the fourth Commandement without diſtinctions? Now, as touching the particularity of the day, herein I confeſſe, wee are more to ſeeke by the light of nature, than for the ſpeciall proportion of time due unto God; Yet conſider, whether herein alſo we are not aſſiſted in good meaſure by the light of nature, and that in certaine particulars. 1. As firſt the decent proportion of time being obſerved, it is nothing materiall in it ſelfe, as touching the advancement of the ſubſtance of Gods ſervice; what day of the weeke it be performed under the duly ſpecified proportion. For wee find by experience, that all Maſters ſtand for a proportion of ſervice, which they expect from the hands of their ſervants; the quantity of ſervice being a very conſiderable matter in the judgement of all; but whether a man worke the firſt houre of the day, and reſt the ſecond, or five houres in the morning, and reſt the ſixth; or in what other difference ſoever, ſo the quantity and proportion of ſervice for that day be performed, all Maſters reſt ſatiſfied. So for the ſervice of the weeke, if it be ſufficient to performe thus much ſervice, as namely, a dayes ſervice in a weeke, it matters not what day it be done, ſo the work be performed; I ſay, it matters not, as touching the ſubſtance of the worke it ſelfe to be performed. 2. But though it matters not in this p. 193reſpect, on what day the ſervice is performed; yet it may matter much in another reſpect: For whereas we are all Gods creatures, and conſequently his ſervants; and the ſervice wee ſpeake of concernes us all in generall, and that equally, and all wee are reaſonable creatures; 1. Firſt it ſeemes fit in reaſon, that there ſhould be an uniformity: For, like as we converſe together by commerce and trade in the workes of our calling on other dayes of the weeke; ſo it ſeemes moſt fit we ſhould walke together with God in the performance of his ſervice, otherwiſe there would be a manifeſt breach of ſociety. For ſuppoſe there be in ſuch a towne as ours, ſeven times foure hundred perſons (for wee have almoſt 2000. Communicants; one of the three pariſhes in Reading hath as many) if one 400. ſhould keepe the firſt day of the weeke for their Sabbath another 400. the ſecond day of the weeke, and ſo to divide the dayes of the weeke betweene them, here were a manifeſt breach of ſociety both in thinges humane, and in things Divine; for every day in the weeke 400. would be excluded, from converſing with their brethren, in buſineſſes temporall; and all the reſt from them whoſe day it is to reſt unto God, in exerciſes ſpirituall, which all I preſume by the very light of nature, would judge intolerable. And this order would have place not onelyonly in particular townes among themſelves, but with other alſo; conſidering that ſix dayes in the weeke wee have converſe by commerce and trade, not with our neighbours onelyonly, but with other townes alſo, farre and neere. Againe, another inconvenience would ariſe, and that a miſerable one, more dangerous than the former; For hereupon a window will be opened unto diſſention, each ſtanding for his owne way, as the manner of man is; and what could be expected but wretched confuſion ſhould follow hereupon? Laſtly conſider, ſhould not the ſervice of man prove more comfortable unto him, if God, as hee hath appointed him the proportion of time, ſo he would be pleaſed not to leave him to ſeeke of the particularity of the day under the forementioned proportion. 2. Therefore, as it is fit there ſhould be an uniformity, for the reaſons given; ſo for the maintenance of uniformity, no meanes ſufficient, but Gods owne p. 194preſcribing of it, hereupon all juſt occaſion of diſſention will be cut off, confuſion will be prevented, and the ſervice of God, as every way, even in the very circumſtance of time, according to his will, ſhall be the more cheerefully and comfortably performed. 3. Thirdly, conſider what D. Lake writes in his Theſes de Sabbato. Theſ. 44. Gods Will is underſtood often by his Precept, but when we have not that, the practice doth guide the Church: 45. This is a Catholique rule, obſerveable in the inſtitution of all ſacred feaſts, both divine and humane: 46. The worke of the day is the ground of hallowing the day, whether it be weekly, monethly, or yeerely, as particulars evidence in Scripture and Hiſtory: 47. No man can tranſlate the workes, therefore no man can tranſlate the day. This is an undoubted rule in Theologie. Now, ſuppoſe God had not commanded the obſervation of any one day in the weeke, but left it unto man to chooſe; if withall hee ſhould obſerve one day preferred before another in ſome notable worke; what reaſon is there, why man ſhould chooſe any other day rather than that? 1. This diſcourſe proceeds upon ſuppoſition of one day in ſeven, to be ſet a part for Gods ſervice; and accordingly wee being upon the election of the day. Now, conſider the baſe of Adam; God having revealed unto him how many dayes he had ſpent in the creating of all things, and in what order hee created them, the laſt day of the ſix being the day wherein he created the beaſts of the field, then man, and after placing him in Paradiſe, and after experience of his wiſedome appearing in the naming of the beaſts brought before him, not finding an help meet for him, caſting him in a ſleepe, and taking a rib out of his ſide, thereof made a woman to be a help meet for him. The next day, which was the ſeventh, God reſting from his worke, what day ſhould man have preferred for Gods ſervice before this; conſidering the proportion betweene Gods reſt from his works, and mans reſt from his; and that as this day was the firſt of Gods reſt, ſo it was the firſt of mans worke; And the very Heathens have counted it reaſonable, à Iove principium, to begin with God, eſpecially there being no better meanes to take livery and ſeiſin of the world made by God for the ſervice of man, than by the ſervice of God, man being made to this end, and p. 195accordingly after Gods image, indued with an underſtanding heart to know him, and with rationall affections to feare and ſerve him. And that with the firſt, as Caietan obſerveth, and that out of the judgement of reaſon, Par est ut poſt accepta beneficia agnoſcamus benefactorem quando que uno ſtatím: It is fit after benefits received, wee ſhould acknowledge our Creator ſometimes, yea, forthwith: As wee reade the Angels did; as the Booke of Iob informes us, Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou haſt underſtanding, who hath laid the meaſures thereof, if thou knoweſt? or who hath ſtretched the line upon it. Whereupon are the foundations thereof faſtened? or who laid the corner ſtone thereof. When the morning ſtarres ſang together, and all the ſonnes of God ſhouted for joy. The ſumme of all is this: 1. It is generally confeſſed, and that by the very light of nature, that ſometime, and that in a ſufficient proportion, is to be ſet apart for Gods ſervice. 2. God being our great Lord and Maſter, it is moſt fit, by the very ſuggeſtion of nature, that God himſelfe ſhould ſet forth unto us his ſervants, both the proportion of time, according to which, and the particularity of the day wherein he will be ſerved by us. 3 We judge that proportion which God hath deſigned, and the day alſo which he hath marked out to us in his Word, to be moſt agreeable unto reaſon in the conſideration of his works. And in all this I am very willing to remit, my ſelfe to the judgement of Doctor Prideaux. The next reaſon here mentioned followeth; Can we conceive that this onelyonly ceremoniall law crept in, we know not how, amongst the morall? Or that the Prophet Moſes would have uſed ſuch care in ordering the Decalogue, onelyonly to bring the Church into greater troubles? I anſwer, that ſome time ſhould be ſet apart for Gods ſervice, was never accounted ceremoniall; As touching the proportion of one day in ſeven dayes to be conſecrated unto God, I never found any Divine ancient or moderne buſie his wits about deviſing any ceremoniality therein; neither did I obſerve any ancient produced to acknowledge any ceremoniality therein; but as it is fit wee ſhould wait upon God for deſigning the proportion of time, (in which reſpect divers count that poſitive) ſo God having deſigned unto us the p. 196proportion of time, we are bold to ſay with Azorius, that rationi maxime comſentaneum eſt, It is moſt agreeable to reaſon after ſix worke dayes to conſecrate one unto God. As touching the particularity of the day, under the proportion of one in ſeven, there is to be conſidered, both reſt and ſanctification; As for ſanctification, I never read nor heard any man that conſtituted any ceremoniality in the ſanctification of the day, but onelyonly in the reſt of the day; yet all theſe are ſhuffled together, and uſually men talke of the ceremoniality of the fourth Commandement hand over-head without all diſtinction: Now, it is true, the ancient Fathers generally conceived a ceremoniality in the reſt of the ſeventh day; but what was ſignified by this ceremony, I no where find expreſſely, neither in Maſter Broad, nor in this diſcourſe. Other Divines of theſe dayes, had rather call it poſitive; but how? Surely in reference onelyonly to the particular day, not to the reſt of it, there being a morall reſt neceſſarily required to the ſanctification of it, namely, ſo farre forth in reſting from our works, as they are avocamenta à ſacris ſtudiis & meditationibus, avocations from ſacred ſtudies and meditations, as Calvin expreſſeth it, and I know none that differ from him herein. Aquinas is of the ſame judgement; but withall he confeſſeth, that the Jewes obſerved the reſt of this day for a myſterious ſignification ſake, which is as much as to ſay, ceremonially; in which reſpect it ought to be abrogated, when the body came that was ſignified thereby. So that this nothing hinders the morality of one day in ſeven, no nor the obſervation of any one particular day that Gods Word ſhall commend unto us for our Sabbath, and that unalterable, ſave by that authority whereby it was introduced; Neither had Moſes any hand, that I know, in ordering the Decalogue, it being firſt pronounced by the mouth of God, and afterwards written in tables by the finger of God. Nor did the deſigning of a day expoſe the Church to any trouble, much leſſe the deſigning the proportion of time; It being moſt requiſite, the Law-maker ſhould deſigne each of theſe for the preventing of trouble; and each being thus deſigned, we find the deſignation of them to be moſt agreeable unto reaſon. If Torniellus thought it hardly credible that Enoſh ſhould appart himſelfe from p. 195the ſonnes of Cain to call upon the Name of the Lord, without ſome certaine and appointed time for that performance. I doe not thinke that Doctor Prideaux conceaves it credible, that any wiſe man would thinke it fit that the ſervant, and not rather the Maſter ſhould apportion out that ſervice which is due unto his Lord and maſter; or that it is more fit the ſervant ſhould have the deſignation of the particular time rather then the maſter, the former reaſons duly conſidered. Or is there any reaſon why Calvin ſhould have ſo little authority, when hee diſcourſeth in reaſon for the originall inſtitution of the Sabbath, as from the Creation; and ſo great authority when hee ſpeakes upon his bare word againſt the morality of one day in ſeven (as ſome thinke) Septenarium numerum non ita moror, ut ejus ſervituti quicquam aſtringerem. It is an eaſy matter to ſay they conclude nothing; though I may juſtly wonder any reaſonable man ſhould ſay ſo of the argument drawne from thoſe words Gen. 2.3. Therefore God bleſſed the ſeventh day, and ſanctifyed it; the author alleadging no other exception againſt it, but the interpretation of Toſtatus, namely, that it is delivered by way of anticipation. For this is as good as to confeſſe, that to bleſſe and ſanctify the ſeventh day, is all one as if hee had ſaid that God commanded it to be ſanctified. OnelyOnly they will not have it underſtood of that time, when the Lord reſted from the works of Creation. So that the meaning of Moſes muſt be this, In the ſeventh day God ended the works which he had made, and the ſeventh day God reſted from all the workes which he had made, and becauſe God reſted on that ſeventh day from all the works that he had made, therefore he commanded, not then that, that day from thence forward; but 2400. yeares after, that men ſhould conſecrate that day to divine ſervice. Now in diſputing againſt the unreaſonableneſſe of this interpretation given by Toſtatus, I am very willing to make Doctor Prideaux my judge, and (as it were) under his moderation to proceed in this. And here I purpoſe not to revive the diſputations of Walaeus, and Rivetus againſt Toſtatus his anticipation; but onelyonly to content my ſelfe with the ground layd by Doctor Lake Biſhop of Bath and Wells, in his Theſis p. 196of the Sabbath, Theſ. 46. The worke of the day is the ground of hallowing the day, whether it be weekly, monthly or yearely, as particulars evince in Scripture and Hiſtory. I make bold to lay this for my ground in this place, becauſe it is apparant that God made his worke on the ſeventh day, the ground of hallowing that day, namely, becauſe it was the day of Gods reſt, therfore to make it the day of mens reſt, for the ſanctifying of it unto the Lord. Now I pray conſider is it reaſonable, that becauſe ſuch or ſuch a worke hath beene done in ſuch a day, provoking us to keepe it a feſtivall day unto the Lord, therefore it becomes us accordingly to ſanctify it, but when? not that day nor the ſame day ſenight, nor throughout the 52. weekes of that yeare, nor any of the 52. weekes the next yeare; no nor for the ſpace of a 1000 yeares, or two thouſand: but after the expiration of 2500 yeares and more, then and not till then to ſanctify that day, becauſe on that day of the weeke the Lord reſted from the worke of Creation, 2500 yeares before? why might not the wiſdome of our Parliament have imitated God, and in memory of our deliverance from the Gunpowder treaſon, on the 5. of November, ordeined that day, ſhould bee kept feſtivall, ſo far forth as in the publique congregation to make a ſolemne, and thankfull commemoration of that wonderfull deliverance, to begin forſooth a thouſand or two thouſand yeares after. So the Jewes obſerved yearely the feaſt of Purim, in remembrance of Gods mercifull deliverance of them, from the conſpiracy of Haman, but when did they ordaine this feaſt to begin? not till a thouſand yeares after, had they done ſo, who would not have ſaid, that their wiſdome herein had exceeded all humane diſcretion? Or to avoid the like unreaſonableneſſe on their ſide, well they ſay that the caſe is not alike; for as much as the freſh remembrance of the Creation, and of Gods reſting on the ſeventh day was ſufficient unto them, both for the maintaining of the diviſion of time into weekes or ſeven dayes; and of ſanctifying each ſeventh unto the Lord; but when the memory hereof began to be obliterated, to wit, about ſome 900 yeares after the flood, then it was fit the Lord ſhould revive the obſervation of this day, by a particular p. 197Commandement? But herby they ſhall make the fourth Commandement not only morall, but alſo more naturall then they are aware. Though I willingly confeſſe they might well conceave that after ſome 15 or 1600 yeares, men might grow weary of obſerving the ſeventh day, the day of Gods reſt from the worke of Creation, becauſe by experience we finde that after ſome 15 or 1600 yeares, Chriſtians ſeem to grow weary of keeping holy the Lords day, the day whereon the Lord Chriſt roſe from the grave, & ſo reſted from his worke of redemption. But as not long after 1600 yeares the flood came to ſet an end to the World by water; ſo it may be after 1600 yeares of the Goſpell, there are but as few yeares to the comming of Chriſt, to ſet an end unto this World by fire: certainely, as often as ſome feſtivall day, is grounded upon ſome ſingular worke of God done, on that day (which Doctor Lake propoſeth as a generall and undoubted rule, alwayes to hold concerning feſtivalls) no time more fit for the obſervation of ſuch a day, then when the memory of the worke is freſh; then is a man like to be more devout, more chearefull in Gods ſervice, more thankefull unto him for his great goodneſſe, like as the Angells immediatly upon their Creation praiſed God Iob. 38.7. When the Starres of the morning praiſed me, and all the children of God rejoyced, which in Cornelius his language was to obſerve the Sabbath. Now give mee leave to enlarge this by proportion. As there are Sabbaths of rejoycing, ſo there are Sabbaths of mourning. And the expiatiō day commanded unto the Jewes, was an annuall feaſt, to inure them to this holy exerciſe, not onelyonly once a yeare, but oftner, as God ſhould miniſter occaſion: Now this day is called by the Lord alſo a Sabbath, Levit. 16.31. And Doctor Andrewes in his paterne of Catecheticall doctrine, handles the duties of ſuch a day, in his doctrine of the Sabbath. And it is well knowne that dayes of wrath have their courſe, and ſhall have their courſe, as long as this World laſteth as well as dayes of mercy: And wee have cauſe to bleſſe God that hee hath inclined his Majeſties heart to take notice of ſuch dayes of wrath; and accordingly by Proclamation, to command a generall humiliation throughout the Land, divers and ſundry times. So p. 198wee reade that the Jewes obſerved a faſt on the firſt monethmonth, (beſides the faſt of the ſeventh which God commanded) as wee reade Zach. 7.3.5. and it was obſerved on the tenth day of that monethmonth; that being the day whereon Nebuchadnezzar burnt the houſe of the Lord, as wee reade, Ier. 52.12, 13. Now thus far had they obſerved the 70 yeares of their captivity Zach. 7.5. they did not put off the obſervation of it till a thouſand yeares after; it being moſt fit, then eſpecially to mourne, when God calleth us thereunto, and not to put it off when hee calleth us thereunto; the Lord ſore complayning of ſuch courſes, and pronouncing an heavy judgement upon offenders in this kinde, Eſay 22.12, 13, 14. Now like as it becomes us to mourne, when firſt God calleth us thereunto, ſo it becommeth us to rejoyce in keeping a feſtivall unto him, when hee calleth us thereunto; leſt otherwiſe it prove out of ſeaſon, when it is begun a long time after, and utterly neglected upon the freſh memory thereof. Wee reade that when the Ilienſes, inhabitants of Ilium called anciently by the name of Troy, ſent an Embaſſage to Tiberius, to condole the death of his Father Auguſtus; hee conſidering the unſeaſonableneſſe thereof, it being a long time after his death; requited them accordingly ſaying, that hee was ſorry for their heavineſſe alſo, having loſt ſo renowned a Knight as Hector was, to wit, above a thouſand years before, in the warres of Troy.

Surely when in the fourth Commandement, and in the reaſon given it is ſayd; For in ſix dayes the Lord made Heaven and Earth, the Sea and all that in them is, and reſted the ſeventh day; therefore the Lord bleſſed the ſeventh day, and ſanctified it, it ſtands with far better reaſon to conceave the meaning hereof, in reference to time paſt, thus; therefore the Lord commanded the ſanctification of it 2500 yeares before; then to underſtand Moſes words, Gen. 2.3. Therefore the Lord bleſſed the ſeventh day, and ſanctified it in reference to the time to come thus, therefore the Lord commanded that ſeventh day to be ſanctified 2500 yeares after. And obſerve I pray the forme of words in the fourth Commandement, when it is ſayd, Therefore the Lord bleſſed the Sabbath day, p. 199and ſanctified it, not of the time preſent that hee now doth bleſſe it, and ſanctify it, but of the time paſt, therefore hee did bleſſe it, and ſanctifie it; and when I pray but immediately from the Creation, that very day whereon hee firſt reſted, and conſequently that very day, he commanded the ſeventh day to be ſanctified; for to ſanctifie the day is to command the ſanctification of it, as is confeſſed; otherwiſe there were no place to plead anticipation. And that the phraſe of speech muſt ſignifie Gods Command for the ſanctification of it, I have already proved.

As for the Fathers affirming that the ancient Patriarches did not obſerve the Sabbath, albeit their authority is of no force to countervaile ſo manifeſt evidence both of Scripture it ſelfe; and of the reaſon drawne from the diviſion of time into weekes, even from the creation, and ſo continued unto the Jewes in the very dayes of Moſes. Yet I may be bold to ſay, we have better authority from the ancients for juſtifying of our cauſe than our adverſaries have for theirs. Walaeus hath repreſented Chryſoſtome, Theophilus, Antiochenus, Auſtin, Theodor. maintaining that the juſtification of the Sabbath hath beene from the Creation: To theſe Rivelies addes Tertullian as of the ſame mind, howſoever alleged on the adverſaries part. And he alſo acknowledgeth the Jewes to be of the ſame opinion: Beda is alleged indeed by Pererius as on the part of Toſtatus, but no ſuch thing appeares in his Hexameron, but rather expreſſely the contrary (his words being theſe of the Sabbath, ſemper celebrari ſolebat) as I have ſhewed in my anſwer to the preface, Sect. 1. Where alſo are repreſented the teſtimonies of Athanaſius and Epiphanius, as maintaining the inſtitution of the Sabbath to have beene from the Creation; which alſo hath beene ſhewed to have beene the opinion of Philo and Ioſephus, and divers of the Jewiſh Rabbins, and of the author of the Chaldee Paraphraſe upon the Pſalms, and of divers others.In Pſalm. 29.Ps 29 Againe, concerning the paſſages alleged out of ſome Fathers to the contrary; not onelyonly Hoſpinian anſwereth, that thoſe proceed of the rigorous obſervation of the Sabbath; but Iacobus Salianus a Papiſt, in particular thus interpreteth Tertullian; and Tertullian muſt be in ſome ſuch ſenſe underſtood, as namely, either p. 200of obſervation of other Sabbaths in uſe among the Jewes, or of the rigorous obſervation of the Jewiſh Sabbath, or of the Jewiſh manner in obſerving it by particular ſacrifices appointed for that day; for as much as he clearely profeſſeth, that the Sabbath day was à primordio ſanctus, as Rivetus ſheweth, and that the other Fathers (which are but foure) truly alleged, are to be interpreted by ſome ſuch manner, I have endeavoured to evince by divers reaſons in my anſwer to the Preface.Sect. 1. And though ſome are willing to admit that of Torniellus, that in the accompliſhment of the Creation, the Angels did obſerve the Sabbath, provided he recompence them in this particular now in queſtion, and adde that the obſervance of it here upon the earth was not till many ages after. Yet this naked authority being little worth, his reaſon is ſo weake in the former, that we have cauſe to ſuſpect it will not prove any thing ſtronger in the latter; though I ſhould have beene content to afford it due conſideration had it been propoſed: As for the Angels ſinging and ſhouting for joy, this was performed, as Torritallus acknowledgeth, the day wherein the foundation of the earth was laid, which undoubtedly could not be after the firſt day of the creation. For if the foundation of the earth was not laid then, when the Lord ſaid, that it was without forme and voyd, and the waters covered it, I cannot deviſe when it ſhould be; It is granted that it may be probably conjectured, that the ſanctification of the Sabbath was before the Law, as concurring herein with Calvin, but that Calvin ſaith that no more, is not proved, neither is that paſſage exhibited wherein Calvin ſhould deliver his mind ſo coldly thereof; but Calvin in his harmony upon the foure bookes of Moſes, and on the fourth Precept, is expreſſe, that Diem ſeptimū ſibi ſumpſit Deus ac conſecravit completa mundi creatione, that God aſſumed and conſecrated the ſeventh day unto himſelfe upon the finiſhing of the worlds creation. And it is enough for us, that then it was inſtituted; and hereupon let every ſober reader judge, whether it be not more then probable, that the holy Patriarches at leaſt obſerved it. Neither doe we affect that any man ſhould reſt ſatisfied with our conjectures; but let our reaſons be conſidered, and the plaine Text of Scripture profeſſing that p. 201becauſe God reſted the ſeventh day, Sect. 3.therefore hee bleſſed the ſeventh day and ſanctified it; and let them yeeld thereunto no more in this particular, then whereof it doth convince a man in conſcience. Yet who thoſe late Writers be who are ſo unſatisfied in this point, I know not well, I verily thinke they are very few Proteſtants. Gomarus (as I remember) allegeth but two, Vatablus and Muſculus, whereas Walaeus and Rivetus between them, have alleged no leſſe than thirty maintaining the contrary. As for the Papiſts, we ſhall take notice of them in the next Section.

It is confeſſed that this proofe is good, God bleſſed the ſeventh day, and ſanctified it; therefore he commanded it to be kept holy by his people. The ſanctifying of the day in the true notion thereof being nothing but Gods commanding man to ſanctifie it, which yet if any man deny, I appeale to my former argument, delivered in the former Section, for the juſtifying thereof. OnelyOnly it is ſaid that therence it followeth not that Then or at that time, to wit, the very day whereon God reſted, he commanded it to be kept holy by his people. Now this exception alſo I have remooved in the former Section. And it is very ſtrange we ſhould be to ſeeke of the time in reference whereunto this is delivered; moſt of all, if ſpoken onelyonly in reference to 2500 yeares after, and not the leaſt intimation of ſo ſtrange an anticipation beyond all example, as Walaeus and Rivetus have proved. When Abulenſis ſaith that Moſes ſpake this by anticipation rather to ſhew the equity of the Commandement then the Originall; If the booke of Geneſis were written before the Commandement was given on mount Sina, this interpretation muſt ſuppoſe that the Lord had already revealed to Moſes what hee would doe on Mount Sina; and what ground is produced for the building of ſo much as any conjecture hereof thereupon? And what wiſe man would expect that any man ſhould be ſatisfied herewith? Doth it not concerne them who maintaine this affirmative to make it good by Texts of Scripture? If after the Commandements were delivered on Mount Sina; what neede of repreſenting the equity thereof, ſeeing the equity, and that in this very way, is expreſſed in the Commandement it ſelfe, and p. 202that in ſuch manner as to manifeſt evidently that God did not now begin to command this, but that hee commanded it of old, even from the Creation, as already I have diſputed and proved. And though Abulenſis were of this opinion, yet Catarinus was not; and though Perorius the Jeſuite to…ke part with Toſtatus, yet Rivetus hath ſhewed that Cornelius de lapide, Emmanuel Sa. Ribera, all Jeſuites do not, but with Catarinus rather, or that Steuchus, Eugubinus, Genebrard, and Iacobus Salianus concurre with them, againſt the opinion of Toſtatus, Gomarus acknowledgeth Marius alſo to be of the ſame minde, all Papiſts; and let mee adde unto theſe all the Remiſts, as appeares in their notes upon Apoc. 1.10. Enoſh might call upon the Lord, and Abraham offer ſacrifice, without relation to a ſet, and appointed time, oftner and ſeldomer as they had occaſion. It was in the former Section ſignified to be Torniellus his reaſon which here is anſwered; now Torniellus was of a contrary opinion to us in this particular, yet hee confeſſeth that it ſeemed hardly credible; neither doth the Doctor deny it, onelyonly hee ſaith that Enoſh might ſo doe; hee doth not ſay hee did; yet undoubtedly many things are done that are hardly credible ſhould be done, much more might bee done, though indeed they are not; Yet this is none of our arguments; but ſuch as it is, let us not extenuate it, but take it aright as it deſerves to be taken. Torniellus ſupppoſeth that Enoſh did apart himſelfe from the ſonnes of Cain; Now Enoſh was not alone in this, for the Text ſaith, Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord, not Enoſh alone. Now in ſeparation, they that ſeparate from the ſame company in an holy manner have reaſon to congregate themſelves; the ſame holineſſe is as powerfully effectuall to the one as to the other; and they are called the Sonnes of God, in diſtinction from the ſonnes, and daughtes of men, Gen. 6.2. though then the very ſonnes of God began to degenerate. And that theſe meetings of many ſhould be without a ſet, and appointed time, I cannot deviſe any colour of probability, 1. For that they could not all meete in one congregation. 2. that meeting in diverſe, the children of God ſhould deſire that at one time their meeting might be, the prayers p. 203of many concurring in the ſame faith, and joyning together doe beſiege Gods Eares, and worke an holy violence upon him. 3. otherwiſe, there would be a breach of ſociety and mutuall commerce, that being an holy day in one place or countrey which was not in another. 4. being divided farre off it would be moſt difficult to make new appointments. 5. little likelihood of agreement herein if left unto themſelves, without ſome divine direction and appointment. But to returne, the next portion of the diſcourſe is this. And as for the not falling of the Manna on the Sabbath day, this rather was a preparation to the Commandement, then any promulgation of it. But ſuppoſe it had beene a promulgation of it, what could that hinder the diſcourſe of Iacobs not neglecting Labans flocke upon conſcience of the Sabbath, which was long before the children of Iſraells going downe into Egypt; whereas Manna fell not untill their departing out of Egypt, and comming into the Wilderneſſe, which was diverſe hundreds of yeeres after. But yet the ordering of the Manna in the falling of it ſix dayes, and not the ſeventh; doth evidently argue that this ſeventh ſtanding in juſt correſpondency to the ſeventh day from the Creation, (as appeares by the ſtory following) the dividing of time into weekes, and ſeptenaries from the Creation, was exactly obſerved from the Creation all along untill that time: And no leſſe evidently doth it manifeſt, that the Sabbath day was obſerved before the Law given on Mount Sinai; and conſequently either by light of nature directing them to the day of the weeke whereon God reſted; or by Commandement, and Commandement wee finde none before that on Mount Sinai, unleſſe that in Gen. 2.3. Goe for a Commandement from the beginning.

The firſt mention wee reade of the Sabbath is that Exod. 16.23. Where Moſes ſaith, This is that which the Lord hath ſayd, to morrow is the reſt of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord; and let every one judge whether there bee any forme of a Commandement in this, and whether hee doth not ſpeake unto them of a Sabbath as of a thing formerly well knowne unto them, and v. 25. To day is the Sabbath unto the Lord; p. 204to day yee ſhall not find it in the feild. This is not ſpoken as if the condition of a Sabbath were any new thing unto them. But let us ſee whether there be any great ſtrength in that which followeth. Put the caſe that Iacob on the Sabbath had neglected Labans flook, and that the Iſraelites under Pharaoh had not made up their tale of brickes, neither had he eſcaped a chiding, nor they the inſolent fury of their taskmaſters. And now according to the principles of theſe Sabbatarians, what would you counſaile them to doe? did they obſerve the Sabbath? they were ſure of puniſhment from man, did they neglect it, they were ſure of vengeance from the Lord, unto ſuch ſtreights are they reduced, who would impoſe the Sabbath as a perpetuall Law of nature. As for the firſt of theſe, wee cannot be ignorant, that both flockes of ſheepe, and heads of greater cattell were looked unto in the time of the moſt rigorous obſervation of the Sabbath. Our Saviour obſerves the Jewes practiſe (notwithſtanding all their rigour this way) was to unlooſe their Oxe, and leade him to watering: Neither was Laban ſo rigorous a Lord to Iacob being from the firſt his unckle, and afterwards his father in Law, and one that had as good meanes to know the ſtory of the Creation as Jacob, and how that the Lord from the beginning Bleſſed the ſeaventh day, and ſanctified it; afterwards Iacobs poſterity met with Taske-maſters in Egypt. And if the Aegyptians had made conſcience of ſetting ſome time apart for the ſervice of God, according to the ſuggeſtion of that light which is confeſſed to extend ſo farre by nature, how improbable is it they would deny this unto their ſervants? The Kings of Perſia did not uſe them ſo hard, but promoted their ſacrifices that they might pray for the King, Ezr. 6.10.Ezra 6:10and the Kings Children; Traian made a Law that the Jewes ſhould not be moleſted on their Sabbath. The Turkes at this day give liberty unto Chriſtians for the free exerciſe of their religion. And why ſhould wee thinke the Aegyptians more rigorous to the Iſraelites then the Babylonians were to the Iewes? Or if alike; why may not a man conclude as well of the Iewes in Babylon, as of the Iſraelites in Egypt that If they did obſerve the Sabbath they were ſure of puniſhment from man, if they did neglect it, they were ſure of vengeance from God. p. 205The Canon of Laodic…a enjoyning the celebration of the Lords day hath this caution, ſi poſſint; which is thought to be ſpoken in reference to ſervants under the tyranny of Heathen maſters. And if the obſervation of the Sabbath may give way to the exerciſe of charity towards others, and of mercy towards beaſts, may it not much more to the exerciſe of mercy towards our owne bodies? yet what if all this were granted? who ſeeth not that if there be any ſtrength in this argument they may by as good reaſon diſpute againſt the profeſſion of Chriſtianity under perſecuting tyrants. For if they doe profeſſe chriſtianity under ſuch; they are ſure of puniſhment from man; if not, they are ſure of vengeance from God. So that to no ſuch ſtraights are wee put as is deviſed, like as the ſtate of the queſtion obtruded upon us is deviſed alſo, but that I have formerly cleered, and ſhewed that wee are to diſtinguiſh. 1. of time in generall to be ſet apart for Gods ſervice. 2. of the proportion of time in ſpeciall. 3. of the day under that proportion of time in particular. And how farre the light of nature doth—direct us in all theſe. That the ſanctification of the ſeventh day as commanded from the beginning unto man, I have already proved in the former Section, and alſo that reaſon juſtifieth this drawne from the diviſion of time into weekes, as which had its courſe from the beginning of the World; and how authority both ancient, and moderne doth countenance this way of ours farre more then the contrary. And Manaſſes ben Iſrael one of the ancient wiſe Doctors of the Jewes obſerves, that when the Jewes are bid to remember that they were ſervants in Egypt, this is as if it had beene ſayd, remember how that in Egypt, where thou ſervedſt, thou waſt conſtrayned to worke even upon the Sabbath day. In Exod. queaſt. 36. Upon the Lords bleſſing the ſeventh day and ſanctifying it from the beginning of the World, and upon the fourth Commandement is founded our obſervation of the Sabbath; as Chryſoſtome hath profeſſed; that God hath manifeſted from the beginning that one day in the circle of the weeke ought to be ſet apart for a ſpirituall reſt.

All confeſſe that there is a difference betweene. 1. Time in p. 290generall to be ſet apart for Gods ſervice. 2. And the proportion of that time. 3. And the particularity of the day in that proportion. The firſt is generally receaved to be morall, the other two ſome had rather call poſitive, then ceremoniall, becauſe they conceave it to have beene inſtituted in Paradiſe before the fall, when there was no neede of any ceremony. They who do moſt judiciouſly diſcourſe of ceremony in the fourth Commandement, doe not call it ceremoniall hand over head, but with reference to the reſt of the day. And herein the ceremoniality they apply to the reſt on the ſeventh day. As for the ceremoniality to be found in the proportion of time indefinitely conſidered, as in one day of ſeaven, I never read nor heard, till now. Yet wherein this ceremoniality doth conſiſt, I meane the thing ſignified thereby is not explicated at all, neither in reſpect of the proportion of time, as of one day in ſeven, nor in reference to the particular day. Yet the Jewes reſt on the ſeventh day, is generally conceaved to prefigure Chriſts reſt in the grave that day full and whole, and onelyonly that day. And as Doctor Andrewes Biſhop of Wincheſter in his Starre Chamber ſpeech profeſſeth, that It hath ever been the Churches doctrine that Chriſt made an end of all Sabbaths by his Sabbath in the grave. That Sabbath was the laſt of them. So Auſtin de Gen. ad lit. l. 4. c. 11. Beda in Hexameron on Genoſis, Aquin. 2.2. q. 121. art. 4. Piſcat. on Luc. 14. And albeit the reſt from workes may have a ceremoniall ſignificaton of a reſt from ſinne in the way of grace, as, Ezech. 20.12. and a reſt both from ſin, and ſorrow; (which is alſo a ſpeciall worke of ours through ſin, Ier. 2.17. haſt thou not procured this unto thy ſelfe becauſe thou haſt forſaken the Lord.) and that in the way of glory, Hebr. 4. yet this is no ſuch ceremony as to be aboliſhed upon the fulfilling of the thing ſignified; for even the Jewes under the Law had their reſt from ſinne, (in the way of grace) as wee Chriſtians under the Goſpell, yet nevertheleſſe obſerved the Sabbath, and that glorious reſt which ſhall not be accompliſhed till the end of the World, is commonly called an eternall Sabbath. And undoubtedly that is to be accompted as a reſt morall whereunto the ſanctification p. 207of the day calleth us, namely to reſt from all workes, as they are Avocations from ſacred studies, and meditations. But doth Abulenſis accompt the reſt of one day in ſeven ceremoniall, and not morall? Doctor Willet relates him as of an other opinion, and diſtinguiſhing thus. There are ſome things which are ſimply morall, and ſome things ſimply ceremoniall; and ſome things of a mixt kinde, as being partly morall, partly ceremoniall. Simply morall are thoſe things which are grounded on the judgement of naturall reaſon, as when naturall reaſon doth dictate that ſome time is to be ſet apart for Gods ſervice; But preciſely to appoint the ſeventh day more then any day of the weeke, is ſimply ceremoniall, quia non habet fundamentum à ratione, ſed à voluntate condentis legem; becauſe it is not grounded on reaſon, but on the will of the law-maker. But to appoint one day of ſeven, and that day wholy for the ſpace of 24. houres to conſecrate to Gods ſervice, as therein to abſtaine from all kinds of worke, theſe things are not purely or ſimply ceremoniall, but partly morall as grounded on the judgement of reaſon, though not totally and wholy. For the firſt, if above one day in the weeke ſhould be kept perpetually holy, Gravamen eſſet laborantibus toties vacare; it were a grievance to labourers to reſt from worke ſo oft (his meaning is in this caſe, they could not ſufficiently provide for themſelves, and their families, as touching the maintenance of this life temporall) and if but one day in a fortnight or a month ſhould be appointed, obliviſceremur Dei per deſuetudinem cultus ipſius. We ſhould forget God through not accuſtoming our ſelves ſufficiently to his ſervice. Therefore it ſtands with reaſon that one day in ſeven ſhould be celebrated to the Lord. This ſurely is not to deny the proportion of one day in ſeven to be conſecrated unto the Lord, to be morall; but to confirme it rather. Neither doe I finde that Aquinas reſolves it ſo, as here it is pretended; that which hee ſayth to be ceremoniall, is applied by him onelyonly to the particular day of the weeke. Indeed hee doth ſay that the proportion of one day in ſeven to be conſecrated to the Lord, is morall, neither doth hee deny it; onelyonly hee ſayth, it is morall that ſome time ſhould be ſet apart for Gods ſervice.Zan. in 4. praecep. p. 599. And it may be under this he comprehends the proportion of one day in ſeven, as Zanchy doth.

p. 208For albeit hee treads in Aquinas ſteps when hee ſayth, Morale eſt quatenus natura docet & pietas poſtulat, ut aliquis dies deſtinetur quieti, ab operibus ſervilibus, quo divino cultui vacare poſſit Eccleſia; ceremoniale eſt quatenus ſeptimus dies fuit praeſcriptus, & non alius. It is morall to have a day deſtinate to reſt from ſervile workes ſo to be free for Gods ſervice. It is ceremoniall, that the ſeventh day, and no other is preſcribed for this: yet a little before hee manifeſteth that by one day to be ſet apart, for this he meanes one day in ſeven, when he thus ſayth.

Ibid. p. 595. Con. 1.Morale eſt mandatum, quatenus praecipit ut è ſeptem diebus unum conſecremus cultui divino—& proinde quatenus tale mandatum eſt nunquam fuit abrogatum nec abrogari poteſt. The Commandement is morall as it commands us to conſecrate one day in ſeven unto divine ſervice. And ſo doth Dominicus Bannes 22. q. 44. art. 1. & Bellarmine de cultu Sanctorum lib. 3. cap. 11. And if no other be the opinion of Aquinas, if the ſchoolmen of what ſect ſoever ſay the ſame, it followeth that they differ no more from us then Aquinas did; it may be they will be found to agree with us. For I doe not thinke any ſchooleman, being put to it will deny but that by the very light of nature, not onelyonly ſome time, but a ſufficient proportion of time muſt be ſet apart for Gods ſervice. And albeit had we beene left unto our ſelves without any indication of this proportion from God, wee might well have beene to ſeeke in the ſetting forth of this convenient proportion Yet conſidering how God hath gone before us making the World in ſix daies, and reſting the ſeventh, and conſidering thereupon the diviſion of time into ſeptenaries of dayes, reaſon I ſhould thinke with Toſtatus, doth dictate that the proportion of one day in ſeven was more convenient then any other. Or if this were not ſufficient for our direction herein; yet when God hath manifeſted unto us both after the Creation, and in the fourth Commandement what proportion of time hee likes beſt for this (as it is in reaſon fit that the Maſter, eſpecially ſuch a Maſter ſhould preſcribe what proportion of time ſhall be ſet apart for his ſervice) then with Chryſoſtome wee have cauſe by the very light of nature p. 209undoubtedly to conclude; that if in the beginning, and under the Law God required one day in ſeven to be conſecrated to his ſervice; wee ſurely cannot allow unto him a worſe proportion under the Goſpell. And Iacobus de Valentia adverſ. Judae. q. 2.Concluſ. Praeceptum de Sabbato celebrando eſt partim morale propter primam conditionem. This firſt condition in reſpect whereof he ſayth it is morall, hee profeſſeth to be two fold. 1 in regard of the reſt. 2. in regard of the ſanctification of it, then hee proves it ſaying, probatur, Adi. & 2.Nam primo Sabbatum fuit praeceptum ad requiem hominis, & ſanctificationem Dei, ut homo ceſſaret ab omni negotio mundano, ut facilius poſſet Deo ſervire & latriam exhibere. Then comming to ſpecifie the proportion of time to be allowed hereunto, Oportet (ſaith hee) ut aliqua dies in ſeptimana ad hujuſmodi ſanctificationem & latriam ſit Deo dedicata. Et ut ſic hoc praeceptum eſt ſtabile & aeternum, ut patebit. One day in the weeke muſt be dedicated unto God for this ſanctification and worſhip, and thus the precept is ſtable and everlaſting as it ſhall appeare. In like manner Stella upon Luke 14. In the ſanctification of the Sabbath there was ſomething morall, and ſomething ceremoniall. It is morall to obſerve one day in the weeke; but that it ſhould be this day or that day, this is ceremoniall. Adde to theſe Bellarmine de cultu ſanctorum lib. 3. cap. 11. Ius divinum requirebat, ut unus dies hebdomadae dicaretur cultui divino. Thus we ſee theſe are directly for us; Aquinas and the ſchoolemen are not directly againſt us, (as hitherto it hath appeared,) no more then Zanchy, who yet is directly for us, as hath beene ſhewed. By the way, it doth not follow from any evidence, that either theſe or Toſtatus have given, that the aſſigning of one day above another was ceremoniall, taking this word (ceremoniall) in proper ſpeech: for 1. it may be accompted poſitive. 2. what have wee to doe with ceremonialls (in proper ſpeech) now under the Goſpell, who yet doe ſtill obſerve one day in ſeven. 3. nay why may not that alſo juſtly be accompted morall, if God hath marked out that day wee celebrate by ſome notable worke, to be conſecrated to the Lord, above others? eſpecially according to Biſhop Lake his grounds, namely that the worke of p. 210the day is the ground of hallowing the day: for proofe whereof hee appeales to the inſtitution of all feaſts both humane and divine. In this caſe, I ſhould thinke there is no colour for ſuſpition of any Judaiſme; who thoſe fathers are, who have pronounced (as here it is ſaid) the fourth Commandement to be a ceremony, a ſhadow, and a figure only, here it is not mentioned, but delivered at large, but I finde that Iſychrius rejects from the Decalogue this precept for the obſervation of the Sabbath, eſteeming it to be only ceremoniall, oppoſed herein by Dominicus Bannes;22. q. 44. art. 1. Sed profecto fallitur quoth Bannes: for the precept is morall as touching the ſubſtance of the praecept, to wit, that there be a certaine time wherein a man ought to reſt unto God, although the determination of ſuch a time be not deſigned: But heretofore the ſeventh day was deſigned by a Divine praecept poſitive; in the Law of grace, the day of the Lords Reſurrection; ſo that amongſt the people of God, one day in the weeke hath been determined for divine ſervice. As for our Divines, the moſt generall opinion amongſt them is, that the obſervation of one day in ſeven is of perpetuall obſervation. For albeit Brentius upon Leviticus affirmes, that the Church may in theſe dayes obſerve but one day in 14. if they will. Yet not onelyonly Gomarus, and Rivet profeſſe that under the Goſpell wee muſt allow a better proportion of time for Gods ſervice, rather then a worſe, in reference to that which was allowed under the Law: But Luther tom. 5. fol. 610. profeſſeth that ad minimum unus dies aliquis per hebdomadam, is to be choſen for Gods worſhip, and Baldwin in his caſes of conſcience. 2. c. 13. caſ. 2. touching feaſts. It is morall (ſaith hee) to ſanctifie one day in ſeven. Maſter Hooker confeſſeth as much in his Eccleſiaſticall policy. And if Calvin hath a way by himſelfe in this; there is no reaſon hee ſhould be introduced to affront the moſt generall current of our owne Divines, muſtered up by Walaeus as a cloud of witneſſes, ſtanding for the morality of one day in ſeven. Yet Walaeus hath cleared alſo Calvin in this point, and that in reference to more pregnant paſſages then are produced here; where nothing is delivered in oppoſition thereunto; the laſt tends to the confirmation of it.

p. 211For if it be reaſonable that one day in ſeven ſhould be allowed for the eaſe, and recreation of ſervants; what day ſhall be their Sabbath, if not the day of reſt? and if this be moſt reaſonable, I hope in the ſecond place it will be judged moſt unreaſonable that there ſhould be one Sabbath for the Maſter, and another for the ſervants: undoubtedly, now God hath gone before us in allotting this proportion of time for his ſervice; wee may be bold to ſay with Azorius (and that incorreſpondency to Toſtatus his diſcourſe) that rationi maximè conſentaneum eſt after ſix worke dayes to conſecrate one unto divine ſervice. And ſeeing God hath required ſuch a proportion of time for his ſervice under the Law: by the very light of nature it appeares to be moſt unreaſonable wee ſhould allow him a worſe proportion under the Goſpell, and Calvin profeſſeth that Nobis cum veteri populo quoad hanc partem communis eſt Sabbati neceſſitas. Harm. in 4. lib. Moſis in praecep. 4.We have as much neede of a Sabbath as ever the Jewes had. As touching the three particulars wherein Toſtatus is vouched to affirme the fourth Commandement to bee an unſtable, and alterable ceremony. Firſt I have not hitherto found, that Toſtatus confoundeth the proportion of one day in ſeven, with the particular day under this proportion; as if theſe were equally ceremoniall. The reſt on the ſeventh day in the judgement of the ancients prefigured the reſt of Chriſt (that day) in his grave, and in that reſpect was accompted by them ceremoniall. But as for the proportion of one day in ſeven, never yet did I meete with any who ſet his wits on worke to deviſe any thing in Chriſt to be prefigured thereby, that ſo it alſo might be accompted ceremoniall. Yet I nothing doubt but this proportion is alterable by that power whereby it was preſcribed, but not by any inferour power; and ſo it is accompted by Jacobus de Valentia, ſtabile & aeternum, ſtable and everlaſting; and moſt unreaſonable that wee ſhould not be bound to allow as good a proportion of ſervice unto God under the Goſpell, as the Jewes were bound to allow him under the Law.

The reſt of the ſeventh day being ceremoniall, wee hold not onelyonly with Toſtatus that it is alterable, but with Stella that p. 212it muſt be altered; and I hope the word it ſelfe affords evidence enough for this. It is true, the fourth Commandement in the very front commands the ſanctifying the Sabbath not the ſeventh day, but the Sabbath: and in like maner it ends with profeſſing that the Lord Bleſſed the Sabbath day (not the ſeventh) & ſanctified it. But when the queſtion is made what Sabbath? I ſhould rather anſwer a reſt from all ſervile works, then as here it is anſwered, The ſeventh day. For undoubtedly God doth not therein command us to reſt the ſeventh day in correſpondency to the ſeventh day from the Creation, there is commanded one day in ſeven, and a ſeventh after ſix dayes of worke. But wee muſt leave it unto God as to preſcribe unto us, the Maſter to his ſervants, the proportion of time to be ſet apart for his ſervice, ſo the particularity of the day alſo under the ſpecified proportion; leaſt otherwiſe there might be as many different opinions hereabouts, and courſes according thereunto amongſt the people of God, as there be dayes in the weeke. Now God did appoint the ſeventh day of the weeke unto the Jewes for their Sabbath; but the firſt day of the weeke, hee hath appointed unto us for our Sabbath; ſtill obſerving ſix dayes worke before, and a ſeventh of reſt unto God, after. And thus Zanchy a learned and judicious Divine interpreteth the fourth Commandement in 4. praecept. p. 599. Col. 2. Stat ſententia non ſine cauſa factum eſſe, ut in ſubſtantia praecepti dictum non ſit, Memento ut diem ſeptimum, ſed ut diem Sabbati. i. quietis ſanctifices. Hac enim ratione nos quoque praeceptum hoc ſervamus, dum ſanctificamus diem Dominicum, quia hic quietis dies nobis eſt, ſicut Judaeis fuit ſeptimus. I am ſtill of opinion, that not without cauſe it is ſo ordered, that in the ſubſtance of the precept it is not ſayd, remember the ſeventh day, but remember the Sabbath day, that is, the day of reſt to ſanctifie it. For by this meanes, wee alſo keepe this precept in ſanctifying the Lords Day.

So that this is not the opinion of Doctor Bownde onelyonly, and of Maſter Perkins, but of Zanchy alſo, and Iacobus de Valentia adverſ. Iudaeos qu. 2. concluſ. 4. Chriſtian Religion celebrates a true morall Sabbath on the Lords Day, as touching the p. 312time, in as much as it celebrates it on the day, whereon it ought to be celebrated, and concludes, So the precept of the Sabbath as it is morall remaines in the new time celebrated on the Lords day. So Dominicus Bannes formerly alleaged diſtinguiſheth the ſubſtance of the praecept, from the particular determination of the day; and addes, that by a poſitive precept the ſeventh day was deſigned unto the Iewes; Bannes 22. 4. 44 art. 1.but afterwards under the Law of grace was deſigned the day of the Lords Reſurrection, So that alwayes to Gods faithfull people was deſigned one day in the weeke, for Divine Service. Whereas other feſtivities (ſayth hee) are in courſe by the inſtitution of the Church. And Doctor Andrewes alſo ſheweth out of Math. 24.20. that there muſt needs be a Sabbath after Chriſts death, and addes, that Thoſe which were ceremonies were abrogated: but thoſe which were not ceremonies were changed; at the Miniſtery from the Levites to be choſen throughout the World So here the day changed from the day of the Jewes to the Lords Day. Revel. 1.10. And accordingly interpreteth the fourth Commandement as belonging unto us Chriſtians as bound to obſerve the Sabbath 1. in our judgment by a reverend eſteeming of it, not as a day appointed by man. 2. in our uſe ſet downe, Eſay 58.13. not following our owne will, nor doing our owne workes. Hereupon a queſtion is propoſed thus. But is not the Sabbath a ceremony, and ſo abrogated by Chriſt? and the anſwer is this. Do as Chriſt did in the caſe of divorce, looke whether it were ſo from the beginning; Now the beginning of the Sabbath was in Paradiſe before there was any ſin, and ſo before there needed any Saviour, and if they ſay it prefigured the reſt we ſhall have from our ſins in Chriſt, We grant it, and therefore the day is changed, but no ceremony proved. The practiſe of piety is a booke dedicated unto his Majeſty that now is, when hee was Prince Carles in the yeere 1626. which is now 15. yeeres agoe, came forth the 10^th Edition of it; wee have heard it highly commended by King Iames, and that it commended the author of the dedication to a Biſhoprick. The author of this treatiſe, is large upon the Sabbath, and concurres with us in every particular wherein wee are by the Prefacer to this tranſlation oppoſed. Amongſt other particulars this is one, that hee interpreteth p. 214the fourth Commandement as Zanchy doth, ſaying, The Commandement doth not ſay. Remember to keepe holy the ſeventh day next following the ſixt day of the Creation or this or that ſeventh day: but indefinitely, Remember that thou keepe holy a Sabbath day, and that Our Lord Ieſus having authority as Lord over the Sabbath, had likewiſe far greater reaſon to tranſlate the Sabbath day, from the Iewiſh ſeventh unto the ſeventh day whereon Chriſtians doe keepe their Sabbath; which alſo hee proves by diverſe reaſons. And the booke of Homilies whereunto all our Miniſters are required to ſubſcribe, profeſſeth that wee Chriſtians are ſtill bound to the obſervation of the Sabbath, and that the Sunday is now our Sabbath. So then as the Jewes were tied to the obſervation of the Sabbath on the day preſcribed too them, ſo are wee Chriſtians tied to the obſervation of the Sabbath too, but on the day preſcribed unto us; ſhould wee obſerve the ſame day with the Jewes, wee ſhould fall juſtly under Auſtins cenſure, that every ſuch one carnaliter ſapit. And the ſame Auſtin profeſſeth that Doctores Eccleſiae decreverunt omnem gloriam Iudaici Sabbati in illam transferre. August de. Tem. Ser. 251.The Doctors of the Church have decreed to transferre all the glory of the Jewes Sabbath unto the Lords Day. So that the cenſure following in theſe words. They therefore are but idly buſied, who would ſo farre enlarge the Sabbath or ſeventh day in this commandement, as to include the Lords Day in it, muſt light not upon us onelyonly, but upon other greater Divines, yea and upon the Church of England alſo; but our comfort is, that wee finde it very weakly grounded. As for the inſtitution of the Lords Day, I never reade nor heard any that grounded it upon the fourth Commandement otherwiſe, then by proportion.

That Commandement containes two things 1. the ſanctification of the Sabbath. 2. a deſigning of the time when; both as touching the proportion of time, to wit of one day in ſeven; and as touching the particularity of the day under the forementioned proportion. For in commanding a ſeventh, it commands one day in ſeven, the former inferring the latter, as well as it doth inferre the ſetting of ſome time in generall p. 215a part for Gods ſervice, which not one (that I know) denies to bee the ſubſtance of this commandement. Now as the Lord deſigned, what ſhould bee their Sabbath day unto the Jewes; ſo hath hee deſigned what ſhall bee the Sabbath day to us Chriſtians.

This deſignation made to us we do not derive from the fourth commandement; but this day being by the word of God deſigned unto us, ſtill holding up the ſame proportion of time: the reſt of this day and the ſanctification thereof, this and this alone doe we derive from the fourth commandement, and alſo, that undoubtedly we Chriſtians ought not to allow unto God a worſe proportion of time for his Service, then did the Jewes: and the proportion is apparant betweene the Lord the creators reſt, and the Lord the redeemers reſt. And our reſt on the day of our Lord the creators reſt, being aboliſhed as a type of Chriſts reſt in the grave; what is more convenient to come in the place thereof then our reſt on that day, which is the Lord our redeemers reſt. As touching the paſſage here alleaged out of Calvin, I am ſorry to obſerve the common errour of others committed here alſo; by diſmembring Calvins ſentence, leaving out one halfe of it, making him to deliver that abſolutely, which hee utters onelyonly conditionally. And the other halfe of the firſt ſentence here mentioned doth manifeſt as much, namely that Calvin ſpeakes only againſt them, who think themſelves obliged to the obſervation of one day in 7. for ſome myſterious ſignifications ſake; and accordingly Wallaeus ſheweth that he oppoſeth none but Papiſts, whoſe courſe is to obſerve feſtivall dayes for ſome myſtery ſake, whereof hee gives good evidence by a paſſage which he allegeth out of Bellarmine, all which I have formerly repreſented more at large, in my anſwer to the Preface Sect. 4. I come to the fourth Section of the Author; That ſome doe urge the words of this Commandement, ſo farre till they draw blood inſteed of comfort, are but words: nothing of this kind hath beene hitherto made good ſo much as in the leaſt colour of probabilitie: And who upon due obſerving of the fourth commandement may not well be brought to admire the wiſedome of God, that as hee hath placed it in the morall law, p. 216which concerneth all times and perſons; ſo he hath ordered it after ſuch a manner; that howſoever the day ſhould be altered, yet the proportion of time ſtill to be kept; and a Sabbath ſtill to bee of force, whether on the ſeventh day which was the Sabbath day unto the Jewes, or the Lords day which ſhould be our Chriſtian Sabbath; thereon to reſt unto God and to ſanctifie that day unto his ſervice; we make no doubt but the Sonne of man is Lord of the Sabbath, and ſo hath power to change it, and none hath power to change it, but hee that is Lord of it▪ It is true, this was one argument amongſt many, which the Author of the Practice of Pietie uſeth to prove that the fourth commandement ſtands ſtill in force; becauſe our Saviour profeſſeth that, He came not to deſtroy the law, but to fulfill it: and that the leaſt of them, ſhould not be abrogated in his kingdome of the new Teſtament. In ſo much that whoſoever breaketh one of the leaſt of theſe tenne commandments and teacheth men ſo, hee ſhould be called the leaſt in the Kingdome of heaven, that is (ſaith the Author) he ſhould have no place in his Church. To the firſt of theſe here the Doctor anſwereth thus, To which we ſay with the Apoſtle: Doe we deſtroy the Law by faith? God forbid: We confirme it rather. 2 Chriſt then hath put away the ſhadow, but retained the light, and ſpreads it wider then before: ſhewing thereby the excellent harmony, betweene the Goſpell and the Law. As touching the firſt part of this preſent anſwer; that is too aliene from our preſent purpoſe; the queſtion betweene us, being not whether the Law be deſtroyed, by preaching juſtification by faith; we know that as touching the ceremoniall Law, whatſoever was prefigured thereby is fulfilled by Chriſt; and as touching the morall Law, Chriſt hath fulfilled that alſo partly in himſelfe by perfect obedience thereunto, and making ſatisfaction for our diſobedience; and partly in us, by giving us more power to performe obedience thereunto through faith in him, then ever we had before ſince the fall of Adam. But our Saviour, Matth. 5. treats of deſtroying the law by abrogating it or any part thereof, which how they can avoid, who teach that Chriſt by his death, hath freed us from the Yoke of the fourth commandement, I cannot comprehend; Suppoſe it be but one of the leaſt commandements, p. 217yet let them looke to it, who diſcourſe of abrogating it, and teach men that they are not obliged by it, hand over head; leaſt they be accompted by the Lord of Sabbath the leaſt in the kingdome of heaven: therefore it ſtands them upon to confirme it rather as they profeſſe, but how they doe performe that which they pretend, I am utterly to ſeeke. 2. I come therefore to the conſideration of the ſecond part of the anſwer conſiſting of two parts, 1. That Chriſt hath put away the ſhadow, 2. That he hath retained the light & ſpreads it further. As for the firſt wee have heard the proportion of one day in ſeven allowed unto Gods ſervice, to be called a ceremony, and conſequently a ſhadow; But what this prefigured is not explaned at all, nor ever hath beene that ever I read or heard. Neither is this put away, but continueth ſtill in the obſervation of the Lords day all the Chriſtian world over; and I doubt not but it will continue to the end of the world. The reſtraint of the worſhip to the ſeventh day hath beene alſo called a ceremony, but too too crudely and without all explication of what it figured: yet we willingly grant a faire prefiguration of ſomewhat concerning Chriſt is found in the ſeventh day acknowledged by the Ancients and by moderne writers, both Papiſts and Proteſtants, both Lutherans and Calviniſts; but that is not in reference to the worſhip reſtrained to that day, but in reference to the teſt, fairely repreſenting Chriſts reſt that day in his grave; and thereupon grounding the rigorous condition of the Jewiſh reſt, which is the practiſe both of Papiſts & of Proteſtants ſo that the Sabbath is not taken away neither as touching ſome time, in generall to be ſanctified unto God, nor as touching the proportion of time in ſpeciall, as of one day in ſeven; but only as touching the particular day which is changed into the Lords day: Our Saviour profeſſing that a Sabbath ſtill was to bee kept of Chriſtians, as Doctor Andrewes proveth out of Matth. 24 20. As for the ſecond, to wit, the light that is ſaid to be retained and ſpread wider then before; this is meere darkneſſe unto me, for I cannot by any meanes comprehend the meaning of it: Neither is here any courſe taken to expound it, and bring us acquainted with the interpretation of it. Suppoſe by the light is meant p. 218the thing prefigured; and that is deviſed to bee a ſpirituall reſt from ſinne.Sect. 4. But this I hope the Prophets and holy ſervants of God under the Law were partakers of, together with the reſt of the Sabbath and the ſanctification of it, as well as we under the Goſpell; and if the ſanctification of the Sabbath (I ſpeak of our Chriſtian Sabbath, according to our Saviours language, Matth. 24.20.) be taken from us, I doubt wee ſhall enjoy that ſpirituall reſt from ſinne, in farre leſſe meaſure under the Goſpell, then the Jewes did under the law. Yet neither they nor we ſhall enjoy it intirely, till we are brought to our reſt in glory. Certainely the conſcionable obſervation of the Sabbath ever was, and is a principall meanes to draw us to that ſpirituall reſt from ſin, and eternall reſt in glory. If Saint Paul by taxing the Jewiſh obſervation of dayes & times, doth therewithall tax the obſervation of the Lords day in place of the Jewiſh: then let us turne Anabaptiſts, and Socinians, and utterly renounce the obſervation of the Lords day, as well as of the Jewiſh Sabbath. The ſame Apoſtle Col. 2. ſpeakes not of the Sabbath, but of Sabbaths; and there were dayes enough ſo called amongſt the Jewes, and that by the Lord both of dayes and yeares, beſides the weekely Sabbath; yet we are content the reſt of the ſeventh may be ranged amongſt other Sabbaths, as prefiguring Chriſts reſt that day in the grave. But to ſpeake of the Sabbath hand-over-head without diſtinction we love not; nor ſee I any cauſe, why men ſhould be in love therewith unleſſe withall they love confuſion: and to fiſh in troubled waters, is many times an advantage to ſerve turnes. Let the reſt of the ſeventh be in Gods name crucified with Chriſt upon the croſſe, or at leaſt be buryed with him in his grave, and ſo as never to riſe with him; but let our Chriſtian Sabbath (our Saviour ſpeakes of Matth. 24.20.) take life together with our Saviours reſurrection that brought with it a new creation, a new world, and there withall a new Sabbath, as Doctor Andrewes Biſhop of Wincheſter delivers it in his Starre Chamber ſpeech in the caſe of Trask. As reaſon tells us that there muſt be ſome certaine appointed time for Gods publique Service; ſo as good reaſon tells us, wee Chriſtians cannot without ſinne, allow unto God for p. 219his publique ſervice a worſe proportion of time under the Goſpell, then the Jewes were bound to allow unto him under the Law. God himſelfe never having deſerved ſo much at the hands of man as under the Goſpell; and there never being greater neceſſitie of obſerving a Sabbath, then under the Goſpell, the way of truth and holineſſe being ſo beſet, and with ſuch encombrances as the like were never knowne to the world before; yet ſtill from the bondage and neceſſitie of the Iewiſh Sabbath, we are delivered by the Goſpell; for neither doe we keepe their day, then called the Lords holy day; but the firſt day of the weeke, the day of Chriſts reſurrection in the new Teſtament, called the Lords day, Revel. 1.10. And ſo willingly we come to the conſideration of the right, whereby The Lords day hath ſucceeded in the place thereof; Let it be the ſhame of the Anabaptiſt, Familiſt and Swenk feldian, to make all dayes equall and equally to be regarded, ſo inſteed of Chriſtian libertie to bring into the Church, an Heatheniſh licentiouſneſſe, yet ſurely the heathens ever had their feſtivalls even weekely, and that on the ſeventh day, which was ſometimes called in this reſpect foreign. And at this day the Turkes feſtivall is their Friday, the firſt day of Mahumets kingdome, when hee fled from Maecha to Iethrib, and thenceforth conſtituted both the firſt day of their weeke and of their yeare. Let as many as by their Sabbatarian ſpeculations, bring all to Iudaiſme bee cenſured as they deſerve; but as for them that deſire to have all the glory of the Iewes Sabbath transferred to the Lords day, take heed how you cenſure them, leaſt you cenſure Auſtin alſo, and the Doctors of the Church mentioned by him, who have decreed this. As for the river called Sabbaticus, let ſuch lettice ſerves their lips that like them. Cenſures of fanatick and peeviſh ſpirits, are as liberally beſtowed by ſome; as the Baiocchi and Bagalini, which the Pope ſcatters at the day of his coronation; but who they be that deſerve them, God will one day Judge. But I perceive whither this tends; If ſome conceive the Lords day to be prophaned by Maygames and Morice dances, they are cenſured for men fanatick & of peeviſh ſpirits; but they little think that all the Prelates of the kingdome may as well come under their laſh, and the whole Parliament in the p. 220firſt of king Charles. Sect. 3.But that thred which here is begun, is drawne out ſomewhat longer in the next Section following.

5 In this fifth Section things are ſo carryed, that it is an hard matter to diſcerne the Doctors meaning, eſpecially in relating the different opinions, concealing the Authors of them and the place where they are to be found, and their arguments which here are only ſaid to be derived from the ſanctification of the ſeventh day in the firſt creation of the world, and from the inſtitution of the Sabbath in the fourth commandement: For herence it is ſaid, that they who ſtand for the tranſlation of the Sabbath from the ſeventh day of the week, to the Lords day, as by divine authority, doe draw their arguments for the juſtifying of their Tenet; which I willingly profeſſe, doth ſeeme a prodigy unto me; namely that any man ſhould diſpute thus. In the beginning of the world, the Lord commanded the ſeventh day to be ſanctified, therefore now under the Goſpell, the Sabbath is to be tranſlated from the ſeventh day to the firſt day of the weeke. Or thus, the Lord in the fourth commandement gave in charge to ſanctifie the Sabbath, and tells them, that the ſeventh day (of the weeke) was their Sabbath, therefore the tranſlation of the Sabbath from the ſeventh day of the weeke to the Lords day is of divine inſtitution: As touching the firſt of theſe deductions, that which comes neareſt thereunto, is the diſcourſe of Doctor Andrewes Biſhop of Wincheſter, in the Starre Chamber. The Sabbath had reference to the old creation, but in Chriſt we are a new creature, a new creation, and ſo to have a new Sabbath. And Athanaſius his diſcourſe long agone upon that of Matth. 11.27. All things are given to me of my Father, Finis prioris creationis Sabbatum, The end of the firſt creation, was the Sabbath day, but the beginning of the ſecond creation is the Lords day: and of this hee diſcourſeth there more at large. And we find manifeſtly this notable congruitie betweene the Sabbath day and the Lords day, that like as God on the ſeventh day reſted from the worke of creation; ſo Chriſt our Saviour riſing on the firſt day of the weeke from the dead, made that the firſt day of his reſting from the worke of redemption. But when I conſider the Doctors ſharp cenſures of weakneſſe, of impudency, of ignorance; it p. 221is not credible he ſhould cloſely let flee at ſuch as Athanaſius and Doctor Andrewes Biſhop of Wincheſter; Neither doe I find thoroughout this whole diſcourſe any notice taken of this ground, whereupon their diſcourſe runnes. It is more likely by farre that ſome lo…ner perſons, and poore ſnakes are herein ſet up as markes to ſhoot at, and as ſignes to be ſpoken againſt It is true, many doe prove herence the morality of the fourth commandement; The author of the practice of pietie which goes under a Biſhops name, takes this courſe of his tenne arguments to prove the commandements of the Sabbath to be morall; this is the ſecond; Becauſe it was commanded of God to Adam in his innocency. Biſhop Andrewes in his Patterne of catecheticall doctrine taketh the like courſe, as formerly hath beene mentioned and which is more, profeſſeth This to be a principle: that the Decalogue is the law of nature revived, and the law of nature is the Image of God▪ now in God (ſaith he) there can be no ceremony, but all muſt be eternall: and ſo in this Image which is the law of nature; and ſo in the Decalogue, whereas a ceremony is foreign, and accordingly that one day in ſeven is to bee obſerved, and conſecrated unto Gods Service, as Chryſoſtome long agoe hath inferred herence; but it is nothing uſuall to inferre herence the celebration of the Lords day. In like manner not one that I know, ancient or late, doe conclude from the fourth commandement, either the celebration of the Lords day, or the tranſlation of the Sabbath from the ſeventh day to the firſt day of the weeke. But herence indeed they inferre (and moſt juſtly in my judgement) that if one day in the weeke were to be conſecrated unto the Lord. by vertue of the morall law, in the dayes of the old Teſtament, much more doth it become us (by the very light of nature) to conſecrate as good a proportion of time to Gods ſervice under the Goſpell; And accordingly to reſt from all workes, that hinder the ſanctification of that day in the exerciſes of pietie, and ſo farre forth as they are found to hinder it, not for any myſterious ſignifications ſake, in which reſpect a very rigorous reſt is moſt commonly conceived to bee enjoyned to the Jewes. I doe wonder the Canoniſts are reckoned amongſt thoſe, who doe build the celebration of the Lords day, upon the conſtitution of p. 222the Church and affirme this abſolutely; Sect. 4.when in the next Section many Canoniſts are alleaged out of Azorius, as maintaining the divine authority of the Lords dayes: and one of them, Sylveſter by name,22. q. 44. art. 1. profeſſing it to be opinionem communem. And as for Schoole-men, it is apparant, that Dominicus Bannes, puts a manifeſt difference betweene the Lords day and other feſtivities, which are ex inſtitutione eccleſiae. And whereas Bellarmine is alleaged as the mouth of the Schoolemen, to affirme abſolutely, that the celebration of the Lords day, is by the conſtitution of the Church, and that in diſtinction from them who ſay it was ordered by the Apoſtles: I find no ſuch matter in the place quoted, but rather the contrary, both confirming, that one day in a weeke is to be conſecrated to the Lord by law divine, and whereas it was not fit, that now the Saturday ſhould be it; therefore the Sabbath was turned into the Lords day by the Apoſtles; his words are theſe, Ius divinū requirebat ut vnus dies hebdomadae dicaretur cultui divino: non autem conveniebat ut ſervaretur Sabbatum. Itaque Sabbatum ab Apoſtolis in diem Dominicum verſum eſt; likewiſe Sixtus Senenſis ſaith, that the inſtitution of the Lords day is of the Apoſtles. as I have ſhewed in my anſwer to the preface S. 5. It is true that which is here reported of Brentius, as who profeſſeth it to be left indifferent to the Church to ordain one day in ſeven, or on day in fourteene to be conſecrated; which whether it be not an unreaſonable conceit, I am willing to appeale to the judgement of Doctor Prideaux, yet Gemardus the Lutheran will not follow Brentius in this (as I have ſhewed in my anſwer to the preface and 5. Section) For hee acknowledgeth the celebration of the Lords day, to be juxta Apoſtolorum conſtitutionem. And as for Chemnitius what he writes hereof, is not expreſſed, but for the divine authority of the celebration of the Lords day, I have repreſented the joynt conſent of ſome 11. or 12. of our moderne divines in the place before mentioned; Beſides the concurrence of the ancient Fathers, not one of them being ſo much as pleaded for the oppoſite Tenet; and laſtly the generall anſwer of Chriſtians in the times of perſecution, when they were demanded in this manner Dominicum ſervaſti, haſt thou kept the Lords day; for uſually it was this, Chriſtianus ſum, p. 223intermittere non poſſum: I cannot omit it, for I am a Chriſtian. Sect. 5.The firſt opinion (to wit of thoſe who maintained the divine authoritie, of the celebritie of the Lords day by the old Teſtament) is here cenſured for inclining much to Judaiſme, but it is not expreſſed wherein. And it is apparant, they doe not maintaine the obſervation of the ſeventh day. Certainely this is delivered in reference to ſomewhat, that is not thought fit to be expreſſed; yet the prefacer did expreſſe it, imputing unto them whom he oppoſeth, that they doe obſerve the Jewiſh Sabbath, not in reſpect of the Jewiſh day, but of the Jewiſh manner obſerving it, to wit, in the way of a rigorous reſt. But I know none that maintaines any other reſt from works, then as they are avocations from ſacred ſtudies and meditations: whereas the Jewes obſerved it for ſome myſterious ſignification ſake, and thereupon were tyed to a more rigorous reſt. But let them ſpeake plainly, and ſay we are too rigorous in thinking ſports and paſtimes unlawfull on the Lords day. And herein I appeale to every Chriſtian conſcience; whether theſe be not as great avocations from ſacred ſtudies and meditations, as the workes of our ordinary callings. Then againe which of us comes neareſt to Judaiſme herein? Is it not againſt the Jewes, that Auſtin profeſſeth? Melius eſt orare quam ſaltare, Better to goe to plough then to dances; and Foeminae veſtrae melius lanam facerent quam ſaltarent. Better it were your women ſhould ſpin wooll then dance: as their courſe was in their feſtivalls. Againe, why ſhould their opinion be Jewiſh, by maintaining it out of the old Teſtament; rather then out of the new? Then, who are they that maintaine it onelyonly by the old Teſtament? And laſtly, not one that I know (neither doe I thinke it can be juſtly obtruded on any) doe maintaine the ſucceſſion of the Lords day, in the place of the Jewiſh Sabbath, either by the originall inſtitution of it, as from the creation, or by the fourth commandement; yet upon theſe nullities▪ is founded the imputation of both impudency and ignorance, in oppugning the received opinion of Divines: That confidently taken up for a received opinion among divines, which is in no tolerable ſort proved; not one Ancient alleaged for it, and but two Papiſts quoted; the one of which I have ſhewed to be p. 224of a plaine contrary opinion.Sect. 4. And of Proteſtant Divines, I have repreſented no leſſe then eleven, maintaining the Apoſtolicall and divine conſtitution of the Lords day, beſides Gerardus the Lutheran, to affront Brentius; Nay, Doctor Prideaux himſelfe Sect. 7. maintaines that it is of Divine authority; and as I remember, in the veſpers at the laſt act unalterable by the Church; That the Prieſthood being changed, there is made alſo a change of the law we beleeve becauſe the Apoſtle ſaith it Heb. 7.12. & it is well if the Schoolemen make the word of God their principles; but of what Law? of the morall law, or of the tenne commandements; or any one of them? (yet we willingly confeſſe a change of one particular in one of them) & not rather of the law of ſacrifices; & ſuch a change as to ſet an end to them. That herence the Schoolemen conclude that at this day, the morall law bindeth not, as it was publiſhed and proclaimed by Moſes; but as at firſt it appertained no leſſe to the Gentiles then to the Iewes; this I ſay is a myſtery: And to confeſſe a truth, when I met with this, in a certaine manuſcript of one Brewers, it ſeemed to me a very wilde diſcourſe, from this place of the Apoſtle to inferre ſo much; but now I meet with it in a lecture, of ſo judicious and learned Divine as Doctor Prideaux, I will ſuſpend my judgement, and waite untill I heare what thoſe Schoolemen are, and where it is that they make ſuch inferences; that being made acquainted with them, I may judge of them according to my capacity, as they deſerve. Certainely Zanchy in the place quoted, makes no ſuch Inference from that place, Heb. 7.12. yet the Doctrine which he delivers is good and ſound, though the inſtance he makes of the Sabbath, too weake to prove it, as appeares to all that acknowledge the Commandement of ſanctifying the Sabbath to be given to Adam, immediatly after his creation; who deſerve to be accompted more hot ſpurres then they, in whom The deſire of prey doth over-runne the ſent? Now what one of our Divines can be alleaged to derive the authority of the Lords day from the law of Moſes? I am verily perſwaded, not one: The ſanctifying of the Lords Sabbath they derive from thence, and the ſanctifying of one day in ſeven, but not the authority of the Lords day: But if it may appeare otherwiſe, that the Lords p. 225day by good authority is ſubſtituted in the place of the ſeventh to become our Chriſtian Sabbath, ſuch as our Saviour fore-prophecied of Matth. 24.20. then from the fourth commandement, they may make bold to conclude, that it ought to be ſanctified. And this Zanchy himſelfe juſtifies in the place quoted Chap. 19, as before hath beene ſhewed. And our booke of homilies expreſly tell us, that now Sunday is become our Sabbath. But we keepe not the ſeventh day, the reſt on that day being ceremoniall, and prefiguring the reſt of Chriſt that day in his grave.

And as for the authority whereby wee have ſubſtituted the Lords Day in the place of the ſeventh, we anſwer, that we are not they that have ſubſtituted, but the Apoſtles have ſubſtituted it unto our hands; God having marked out that day unto them by a worke nothing inferior to the worke of Creation; to wit, the worke of Chriſts Reſurrection, ſuch a worke as brings with it a new Creation, and therewithall a new Sabbath, as Doctor Andrewes obſerves out of the ancients, and delivered as much in the Starre Chamber. And whereas under the Law the Jewiſh Sabbath was called the Lords Day; Now under the Goſpell the firſt day of the weeke is called the Lords Day in the language of the holy Ghoſt in the new Teſtament. And whereas our Saviour gives us plainly to underſtand, that wee are to have a Sabbath under the Goſpell Math. 24.20. as the aforementioned Doctor Andrewes doth obſerve in his patterne of Catecheticall doctrine, In common reaſon, and in the conſcience of a Chriſtian what day ought to be this our Sabbath rather then the Lords Day, ſo called in the language of the holy Ghoſt; eſpecially conſidering that not that day of the yeere, but that day of the weeke is called the Lords Day, as by moſt generall acknowledgement of all the ancients hath beene ſuppoſed. And to urge one place more out of the old Teſtament, then here is in a violent manner obtruded upon us, Pſal. 118 14. This is the day which the Lord hath made, let us rejoyce, and be glad in it, is evidently ſpoken of that day wherein the ſtone which the builders refuſed was made the head of the corner: Now by that ſtone the holy Ghoſt chiefely underſtands the Lord Chriſt, Mat. p. 22621.42. Marc. 12.10. Luc. 20.17. Acts 4.11. 1 Pet 2.7. and when was hee made the head of the corner,Sect. 5. but in the day of his Reſurrection;Rom. 1.4.Rom 1:4 the Apoſtle profeſſing, that He was declared mightily to be the Sonne of God touching the ſpirit of ſanctification by the Reſurrection from the dead. And under what ſtile did they reject him, and condemne him as a blaſphemer but for making himſelfe the Son of God? As for the rigorous obſervation of the reſt preſcribed unto the Jewes; as from kindling of fire, and dreſſing of meate; ſome qualifie that rigour, conceaving that kindling of fire was forbidden onelyonly for the works to be done about making the Tabernacle. This being delivered as a preface, Exod. 35.2. when the free will offerings were now to be receaved for the promoting of the workemanſhip of that which formerly was commanded. And that dreſſing of meate was not forbidden them, no not in the gathering of Manna, as ſome thinke; if then, yet not as a generall courſe to be obſerved for ever; And as touching the Table that Nehemiah kept, thus we reade. Moreover there were at my Table, Nehem. 5.17.18.Neh 5:17Neh 5:18an. 150. of the Iewes and rulers which came unto us from among the Heathen that are about us. And there was prepared daily an Oxe, and ſix choſen Sheepe, and Birds were prepared for me—and hee was ſo farre from conſciouſneſſe of profaning the Lords Sabbath herein, that hee concludes thus, Remember me O my God in goodneſſe, according to all that I have done for this people. But ſuppoſe they were tied ſo ſtrictly to ſuch a reſt, as from workes not ſervile, onelyonly in ſeeking againe, (as Zanchy inſtanceth the condition of a worke ſervile) but even from ſuch as ten led to the refreſhing of their natures; yet the reaſon hereof depended upon the myſterious ſignification of this reſt, as formerly I have repreſented out of Lyra, from which ceremoniality wee are abſolved, and conſequently freed from that rigorous reſt depending thereupon, and reſt onelyonly from works ſo farre forth as they are avocations from Sacred Studies and meditations, as Calvin expreſſeth it; and this wee accompt a morall reſt, diſtinguiſhed from ceremoniall. And whereas the Doctor tells us that ſuch a like diſtinction is infirme, being content to ſay nothing to confirme it, ſave that the Text (as hee p. 227ſaith) affords it not: I had thought the very light of nature had beene ſufficient to embolden us to conclude,Sect. 6. that where the ſanctification of the day is commanded, therewithall is commanded abſtinence from all ſuch things as would hinder the ſanctification of it, And as for the text it ſelfe, it is apparent that neither the kindling of the fire, nor dreſſing of meate is particularly forbidden in the fourth Commandement. Neither doth hee ſo much as obtrude upon his adverſaries that they derive the ſanctification of their chriſtian Sabbath from ought in the old Teſtament, ſave from Gen. 2.3. and from the fourth Commandement. In neither of which doth he deale fairely; but is content to confound things that differ, as if in this particular he affected to fiſh in troubled waters; and we have better evidence (and indeed it is our only evidence therence) out of the old Teſtament, for the feſtivity of the Lords day, then he is willing to take notice of, namely out of the Pſal. 118.24. Neither is it poſſible he ſhould be ignorant thereof, howſoever hee doth diſſemble his knowledge of it. Yet I hope it is enough for us to finde evidence for it in the Sunſhine of the Goſpell; and indeed here alone we have the originall obſervation of it, though that it ſhould be obſerved, is as evidently prophecied in the old Teſtament, as that Chriſt is the ſtone which was firſt refuſed of the builders, and after made the head of the corner, adding only this unto it, that the day wherein the Lord did this, and made ſo glorious a worke, marvellous in the eyes of men, was the day of the reſurrection, which I ſuppoſe no intelligent Chriſtian will deny, I come unto the 6. Section.

6 Who they be that make their boaſt, that they have found the inſtitution of the Lords day in the new Teſtament expreſſely, J willingly profeſſe I know not, neither doe I thinke the Doctor knowes. It is true our Saviour oftentimes diſputed with the Phariſees about their ſuperſtitious obſervation of the Sabbath day, which at length degenerated into voluptuous living on that day; in ſo much, that Auſtin tells the Jewes plainly It is better to goe to plough then to dance: but if hereupon you aske, where is any the leaſt ſuſpicion of the abrogating of it? I anſwer every one knowes, The time was not yet come for the abrogating of it. Nay, p. 228he diſcourſeth ſo as if 40. yeares after his death, the obſervation of the Sabbath ſhould continue,Sect. 4. as when he exhorts them at ſuch a time, to pray that their flight be not in the Winter, nor on the Sabbath day Matth. 24.20. what will you conclude herence? therefore the obſervation of the Jewiſh Sabbath was ſtill to continue among Chriſtians? if you doe, who ſhall more deſervedly be obnoxious to the cenſure of Judaiſme, you or wee? yet when he tells them, that the Sonne of man is Lord of the Sabbath, how few interpreters writing hereupon, doe not take notice of his power to abrogat it? But is it not enough that Paul cryeth downe the ceremonies of the Jewes, and in ſpeciall their holy dayes, and particularly Sabbaths; to wit, ſo far forth, as they are found to be ſhadowes, the body whereof was Chriſt, ſuch was the reſt on the ſeventh day, as prefiguring Chriſts reſt in the grave. But no ſober man (I trow) will herence conclude that herewithall hee cryeth downe the ſetting apart of any time for Gods ſervice, that having no colour of ceremony, or reſt from ſuch workes, as hinder us in the ſervice of God, this being as little ceremoniall as the former. I make bold to goe one ſtep farther, and conclude by the ſame reaſon, that neither doth he cry downe the proportion of time, to wit, of one day in ſeven, to be ſet a part for the exerciſes of piety, becauſe in this particular, there is no more ceremonialitie to be found, then in any one of the former. But to proceed, what indifferent man would once expect, that in our Saviours diſputations with the Phariſees about the Sabbath, mention ſhould bee made of the Lords day inſtituted in the place thereof? It is enough, wee find it inſtituted after our Saviours reſurrection; and ſufficient I trowe it is to prove that it was inſtituted, and that in the beſt manner, namely by eſtabliſhing it de facto in practiſe amongſt the Churches; I ſay this is ſufficiently proved by the obſervation of it; which undoubtedly, neither was nor could be by chance. A Sowe mufling in the earth, may make ſomething like the letter A. but not Ennius his Andromacha ſaith Cicero. In like ſort the concurrence of the Churches, in the obſervation hereof from the Apoſtles, and continuance therein unto this day, could not be by chance, but by order, and that from the Apoſtles. When p. 229you aske, Did not the Apoſtles keepe the Iewiſh Sabbath? I anſwer, I doe not finde they did, yet I finde revelations were made unto them of what was to be done by degrees. Peter was challenged Acts 11. by the reſt of the Apoſtles, for preaching the Goſpell unto the Gentiles. They tooke indeed advantage of the Jewes Sabbath, to preach the Goſpell unto them congregated together Act. 13. ſo did they to the ſame end take the oppotunity of the feaſt of Pentecoſt, Acts 18.21. I grant the Sabbath day was obſerved together with the Lords day by ſome Chriſtians; Baronius imputes it to the Orientales, and gives the reaſon why formerly repreſented. If any man inferre herehence that the celebration of the Lords day, is grounded upon the conſtitution of the Church onelyonly, let him make it good; for there is no reaſon that words ſhould carry it, much leſſe the voyce of one Papiſt who here is quoted. I am ſure Dominicus Bannes and Sixtus Senenſis, are of another opinion, formerly produced; and hereafter follow many Canoniſts that maintaine the contrary, by the relation of Azorius, and one of them, Sylveſter by name, profeſſeth that it is Communis opinio, that it is of Divine authoritie. If Brentius thinkes otherwiſe, yet Gerardus refuſeth to tread in his ſteps, though both are Lutherans. And if the Remonſtrants concurre with Brentius, it is nothing ſtrange, they are ſo neer a kin to the Socinians and Anabaptiſts, who renounce altogether the obſervation of the Lords day. I have formerly reckoned up and produced no leſſe then eleven of our Proteſtant Divines maintaining the ordinance thereof to be Divine and Apoſtolicall. Beſides the Ancients who are many, and they expreſſe for the ſame, and not one that I know avouched to the contrary. Precept indeed we have not for this in the new Teſtament, but that w^ch is better then a precept. For had the Apoſtles commanded it, and the Churches not practiſed it, their commandement had beene obnoxious to various interpretations; but they tooke order to eſtabliſh it as appeares, de facto. And D. Lake tels us, that where divine precept is wanting, practiſe guides the Church; and that the worke of the day is the ground of hallowing the day; and the worke of redemption is nothing inferiour to the worke of creation; and I appeale to every Chriſtian p. 230conſcience,Sect. 6. whether upon ſuſpition that we Chriſtians muſt have a Sabbath to obſerve, as the Jewes had, for which we have the expreſſe words of our Saviour, Matth. 24.20. D. Andrewes concurring with us in this; and that this Sabbath muſt be ſome one day in the weeke; which from the ordinance of God immediately from the creation, that God himſelfe hath declared unto us, as Chryſoſtome obſerveth, and reaſon concludeth as much for this, and that from conſideration of the proportion of time which the Lord required of the Jewes under the law, for undoubtedly we ſhould ſinne if we ſhould allow God a worſe proportion under the Goſpell; and it is evident that no ceremoniality can be found in the ſanctification of one day in ſeven, or in the reſt of one day in ſeven. I ſay let every one judge whether in Chriſtian reaſon any day in the weeke be to be preferred for this before the Lords day; that being the day of Chriſts reſurrection, the day wherein The Stone which the Builders refuſed was made the head of the corner; and this day not of the yeere, but of the weeke being in Scripture-phraſe called the Lords day; like as the Jewiſh Sabbath was formerly called the Lords holy day, Eſ. 58. Adde unto this that D. Prideaux here juſtifieth their obſervation who maintaine the celebration of the Lords day to be by authority divine conſiſting in theſe particulars. 1. That it ſeemed a dangerous thing to the whole Fabricke of religion, ſhould humane ordinances limit the neceſſity of Gods worſhip. Or that the Church ſhould not aſſemble but at the pleaſure of the Clergie, and they perhaps not well at one among themſelves. For what would men buſied about their Farms, their yokes of Oxen and domeſticke troubles ('as the invited gueſts in the holy Goſpell) would they not eaſily ſet at naught an humane ordinance, would not prophane men eaſily diſpenſe with their abſenting themſelves from prayers and preaching, and give themſelves free leave of doing or neglecting any thing, were there not ſomething found in Scripture which more then any humane ordinance or inſtitution ſhould binde the conſcience? yet it is eaſie to conjecture what would be anſwered to all this, for excommunication upon diſobedience to the Church may be a bond ſtrong enough to oblige them hereunto; Or if men be not ſo ſenſible hereof, yet the lawes p. 231of the land and penall ſtatutes, may provide for ſuch reſtraints by ſuch puniſhments; as whereof every naturall man will be ſenſible enough; we have other conſiderations to propoſe, as 1. Touching the proportion of time, to be allowed to Gods ſervice, which concerneth the quantity of the ſervice it ſelfe. 1. This is a thing very conſiderable and of moment. 2. We have no example, that the quantity of ſervice to be performed to the maſter, was left unto the conſcience, or pleaſure of the ſervant: but rather is to be preſcribed by the Maſter, eſpecially by ſuch a Maſter as God is. 1. Who hath made us? 2. Who will infinitely reward us? 3. To ſerve whom is our moſt perfect freedome and happineſſe. 4. And who is able to give us ſtrength to performe it? 5. And who is tenderly ſenſible of our weakneſſes, as he is moſt privy to them. 6. And after God hath diſcovered this unto us, and required the proportion of one day in ſeven to be conſecrated to him, and that under the Law; ſurely reaſon doth ſuggeſt, that we cannot performe leſſe unto him under the Goſpell. 2. As touching the particularity of the day under this proportion. 1. We read that there is one, that is Lord of the Sabbath; Now in reaſon, who ſhall appoint this day, but he that is Lord of it? eſpecially conſidering that it is his holy day Eſ. 58. and ſuch feſtivalls were ſaid to be of his making Pſalme 118.24. This is the day which the Lord hath made, not of mans making: ſecondly, but it may be ſaid, he may leave unto man the appointing of it, if it pleaſe him; I anſwer, that in this caſe it ſtands them upon, to ſhew their Charter for this. Thirdly, for my part, I ſee no cauſe, we ſhould deſire any ſuch liberty, but rather pray unto God to bleſſe us from it, 1. For as I am fleſh, I ſhall bee ſure to put it off to the end of the weeke; and I may be gone out of the world ere that day comes; and when that day comes, I ſhall be as loath to come to the ſervice that day requires as ever, and aſſoone weary of it, and ſay, when will the Sabbath be gone, that I may returne to my former courſes, ſecondly, as I am ſpirit, I have cauſe to make choyce of the firſt day; for à Iove principium; and Adam and Eve, being after the beaſts of the field, made on the ſixt day, and planted in Paradiſe, the ſeventh day, was the firſt entire day to him p. 2324. Doctor Lake Biſhop of Bath and Wells, obſerves that feſtivalls dayes have ever beene commended unto us; by ſome notable worke done on that day. Now what worke, like unto the reſurrection of Chriſt, on the firſt day of the weeke? 5. Biſhop Andrewes obſerves in his Starre Chamber ſpeech, that this reſurrection brings with it a new creation, and calls for a new Sabbath; and I find this, to have beene the obſervation of Athanaſius, about 1300. yeeres agoe. 6. If we were left at liberty in the choyce of the day, it is to be feared, that if there were twenty dayes in the weeke, there would be twenty differences betweene us thereabouts, 7. Laſtly, if left at libertie; I find no reaſon why we ſhould keepe ourſelves, to the obſervation of the ſame day; this is ſo apt and prone to breed in us an opinion of the neceſſitie thereof, and ſo plunge us into ſuperſtition ere we are aware, and thereby make our whole ſervice of God, on that day diſtaſtfull unto him. To proceed, the Practiſe of the Apoſtles is in Scripture, repreſented unto us in three ſeverall places; the firſt whereof is Act. 20▪ 7. upon the firſt day of the weeke, when the Diſciples came together to breake bread, Paul preached unto them. The practiſe is improved thus, why is it ſaid expreſſely, that the Diſciples came together to heare the word preached, and receive the Sacraments, rather on this day then any other; rather then on the Iewiſh Sabbath, were it not then a cuſtome, to celebrate on that day their publique meetings, the Sabbath of the Iewes, beginning by degrees to vaniſh? It is farther confeſſed, that the Fathers and all interpreters (almoſt) doe ſo conceive it. Obſerve, not a Father is found, to take it in any other ſenſe, only the Magdeburgenſes, and Calvin, are ſaid to ſtick at the phraſe foreign, as if it might ſignifie ſome one day of the weeke; and yet in Scripture phraſe, it is apparant that, foreign, Marc. 16.9. is all one with, foreign, Joh. 20.19. And it is Salmaſius his obſervation, that the Pythagoreans called the firſt day of the weeke foreign, inſteed of foreign. But the Doctor profeſſeth, that from a caſuall fact he ſeeth not, how a ſolemne Inſtitution may be juſtly grounded; but it is not proved, that this fact was caſuall; nay the text carryeth in the face of it manifeſt evidence againſt caſualitie. For it is ſaid that they came p. 233together to eat bread; all then convening to a ſacred action, how could this be done, if they had not agreed hereupon before; eſpecially it being a buſineſſe whereabout they came, that required ſolemne and ſacred preparation? all which affront caſualitie. Take the circumſtances aright, The Diſciples from divers parts came together that day about ſolemne and ſacred action; therefore it was ordered before, to meet together on that day; Now this concludes only concerning them; and therefore Wallaeus profeſſeth, that the force of theſe three texts, taken apart doe not conclude, but joyntly; Now by the next place, 1. Cor. 16.2. it appeareth, that the ſame day was the ordinary day of meeting for the Corinths; and for the Churches of Galatia alſo: Now how came it to paſſe, the ſame day was the day of meeting about holy exerciſes, in the Church of Epheſus, the Church of Corinth, and in the Churches of Galatia? could this ordinary courſe (for ſo much is ſignified, 1. Cor. 16.2.) of ſo many Churches concurring herein, come to paſſe by chance, or could their conſent herein, ſo many Churches ſo farre diſtant one from another, be wrought by chance, and not rather in all reaſon, was wrought by authority Apoſtolicall? And as for the ſecond place, 1 Cor. 16.2. whereas the exception is, that there it is ſaid the Apoſtles ordered collections on that day, but not their meetings; yet Doctor Andrewes in his Starre Chamber ſpeech alleageth it, as the Apoſtles precept, for their meetings on that day; and ſo doth Paraeus; for though it be not expreſſed, yet ſo much is implyed, as by the reaſon formerly mentioned hath beene argued: eſpecially conſidering the laſt place, Revel. 1.10. where the firſt day of the weeke is called the Lords day, a notable evidence of the divine authority; the Scripture phraſe no where calling any the Lords day, or the Lords Altars, or the Lords feaſts, but ſuch as are of the Lords inſtitution; and in this particular, Biſhop Andrewes compares the Lords day with the Lords Supper, profeſſing the notion to be a like in both. And hereupon it is moſt ingenuouſly acknowledged, that The alteration of the name doth intimate, that the Sabbath was alſo altered, in relation to Gods worſhip, but the appointment of the tim, &c. wherein endeth this Section. And the next begins with this queſtion, p. 234what then? ſhall we affirme that the Lords day is founded on divine authority? and the anſwer is, For my part (without prejudice to any mans opinion) I aſſent unto it; how ever the arguments like me not, whereby it is ſupported; well therefore, let us lovingly and candidly, as it becomes the gates of the muſes, conferre about theſe arguments. Firſt, this inference offends me; That in the cradle of the world, God bleſſed the ſeventh day and ſanctified it; therefore all men are bound to ſanctifie it by the Law of Nature: ſince I both doubt, whether the Patriarches did obſerve it before Moſes time, and have learnt alſo that the Law of nature is immutable; Doctor Andrewes in his patterne of Catecheticall Doctrine writes ſaying, This is a principle, that the Decalogue is the Law of nature revived, and the law of nature is the Image of God. But let us conſider the argument: It is one thing to except againſt the antecedent, another to except againſt the inference made herence: As touching the Antecedent, it is one thing, what God hath ordained, and may be another thing, what the Patriarches obſerved; we ſay God ordained it in as much as hee commanded it in theſe words, Therefore God bleſſed the ſeventh day and hallowed it, that is, commanded man to ſanctifie it as hath beene proved: and is alſo confeſſed; only to helpe themſelves, as it were at a dead lift; they ſay, thoſe words in Geneſis, are uttered by way of anticipation; as much as to ſay; becauſe God reſted on that day, therefore God commanded man to reſt on the ſame day, and ſanctifie it, but when? 2500. yeeres after; for the unreaſonableneſſe of which interpretation, and the incongruitie thereof unto the ſame words, repeated in the fourth commandement; I appeale to that which I have formerly diſcourſed hereupon: Now if God from the beginning ordained the ſeventh day to be kept holy; wee leave it to every ſober conſcience to judge, whether it be not moſt likely, that both Adam and the holy Patriarches obſerved it; for we inſiſt not in this argument upon humane obſervation, but meerely upon Divine inſtitution. And though God did from the beginning command it, yet it followeth not, that all men are bound to ſanctifie that day, unleſſe they have ſome evidence of Gods command, wherewith we are made acquainted by the Scriptures. If the law of p. 235nature be meant a light of nature convincing us, we doe not infer herence or at all maintaine (nor any that I know) that in this ſenſe, all or any are bound to keep the ſeventh, or a ſeventh day holy; but onelyonly by vertue of Gods command. Yet this wee profeſſe, that ſeeing it is generally confeſſed that by the very light of nature ſome time is to be ſet apart for Gods ſervice. Wee cannot deviſe in reaſon any better courſe, then to ſet one day in ſeaven apart for this; conſidering the firſt diviſion of dayes is into weekes, and if a ſeventh part of our time be in reaſon to be conſecrated unto God, wee thinke it more convenient to ſet one intire day in ſeven apart for this, then the ſeventh part of every day, becauſe the other buſineſſes of every day are apt to cauſe diſtraction from the Lords ſervice. And as I have but erſt diſcourſed; it is more fit the Maſter ſhould appoint unto the ſervant what proportion of ſervice hee ſhall performe unto him; then that this ſhould be left to the diſcretion or liberty of the ſervant. 1. both the honour of the Maſter requiring this. 2. and the good of the ſervant; for hereby hee ſhall be aſſured of the better acceptance at the hands of his maſter. And ſo for the particular day, it is fit the Maſter ſhould marke out that alſo unto him by ſome prerogative ſet upon the day, as hee did the ſeventh day, by finiſhing the worke of Creation, and by his reſt thereon from his workes to call man to an holy reſt from his, ſo to be more free for the ſervice of his Creator. In which caſes, both touching the proportion of the time, and particularity of the day, the Law being made, it ſhall continue immutable and unalterable by the will of the Creature; but mutable, and alterable according to the will of the Creator: ſo that things being well diſtinguiſhed, and rightly conſidered and ſtated, I ſee no bug beare of inconvenience in all this. Neyther doe I ſee any reaſon why the ſpending of one day in Gods holy worſhip as a morall and perpetuall duty, ſhould ſeeme diſtaſtfull to any. Since it is apparant that God commanded it unto his people of the Jewes; and for 1600 yeares it hath beene continually obſerved by Chriſtian Churches unto this day; and I make no doubt, but it ſhall hold till Chriſts comming; though from the beginning of the World it was p. 236never found to be ſo hotly oppoſed as at this day. And why ſhould any man ſtick in acknowledging it to be morall; when never any man buſied himſelfe to finde out any ceremoniality in reference to the proportion of one day in ſeven? Neither doe I thinke ever any man called it judiciall, but Azorius profeſſeth it to be rationi maxime conſentancum moſt agreeable to reaſon: and no man that I know hath at any time ſet himſelfe to deviſe a proportion of time to be ſpent in Gods ſervice, more agreeable to reaſon then this. And as for the third offence taken (for I know not any that give it) The fourth Commandement is brought by none that I know to prove that the Lords Day is now become our Chriſtian Sabbath; but ſuppoſing it to be our Sabbath, as the booke of Homilies ſayth it is; and our Saviour ſignified that Chriſtians ſhould have their Sabbath, as well as the Jewes had theirs, Math. 24 20. wee produce the fourth Commandement to prove, that wee ought to ſanctifie it, and that we may the better ſanctifie it, to reſt from all workes that hinder the ſanctification thereof; And indeed the Commandedement is ſo drawen, as to command one day in ſeaven to be obſerved, and whatſoever is that ſeventh preſcribed by lawfull authority, to ſanctifie it, and abſtaine from all works whereby the hallowing of it is diſturbed; and all this we take to be morall, namely the worſhipping of God in a certaine proportion of time preſcribed by him, and to that purpoſe to reſt from workes, not for any myſterious ſignification ſake, as did the Jewes; wee thinke the practiſe of the Church in the Apoſtles dayes is ſufficient to inferre the apoſtolicall, and divine inſtitution thereof; from hence Athanaſius, Cyrill, Auſtin, and the Fathers generally, (for I know not one alleaged to the contrary) ſo take it. And the Lords Day hath no other notion in Scripture language, then a day of the Lords inſtitution; and this is confirmed in that it comes in the place of the Jewes Sabbath, which is called in Scripture, the Lords holy day Eſay 58. and Pſal. 118.24. of the day wherein Chriſt was made the head of the corner, having beene formerly refuſed of the builders, it is expreſly ſaid, that it is the day that the Lord hath made; and thereupon wee p. 237are called to rejoyce and be glad in it. And it hath this congiuity in the cauſe of its inſtitution to the firſt Sabbath; that as on the ſeventh day the Lord reſted from his worke of Creation, ſo on the firſt day of the weeke the Lord Chriſt riſing from the dead, then reſted from his worke of redemption. And laſtly Chriſt bringing with him a new Creation is it ſtrange that he ſhould bring with him a new Sabbath▪ and no day ſo fit for this, as the day of his Reſurrection. And laſtly whoſoever doth not reſt ſatisfied with the bare ordinance of the Church; muſt hee not be driven to acknowledge an ordination more then humane, requirable thereunto? Of the neceſſity of my conſequences, and evidence of expreſſe Scripture formerly mentioned, I leave it to the indifferent to judge; and to none ſooner then to Doctor Prideaux himſelfe, none being more able to judge of conſequences then hee, being ſo verſed therein, and I am well perſuaded of the indifferency of his affections, and had thoſe writings in the canvaſſing of this point beene extant before this Lecture of his which hath ſince come to the light of the preſſe; I am apt to conceave that either hee would have given way to that which ſeemes in my judgement to be the truth, or repreſented good reaſon of his diſſenting from it. The Apoſtles example, nor ſo onelyonly, but drawing the Churches generally to the ſame practiſe, doth argue a conſtitution; yet more is brought for the confirmation of the authority of the Lords Day then example. That of ſearching into the veyles and ſhadowes of the old Teſtament to finde this inſtitution is a myſtery unto mee, and ſo farre am I from that courſe, that I know none guilty of it; The ancient Fathers ſometimes doe expatiate this way, for the ſetting forth of the honorable condition of the Lords Day; but they build not doctrines thereupon; which if they had done in ſome particular caſe advantageous to our adverſaries, it had beene enough to have cryed us downe.

As for Judaiſme, I have often ſhewed, how little colour there is for any ſuch imputation to be caſt upon us, but rather upon our adverſaries: I ſee no cauſe to range the Petrobuſian with the Ebionite, but were they yoake-fellowes, p. 238whereof I finde not the leaſt evidence; yet ſhould not wee draw with them under the ſame yoake; Chemnitius his diſcourſe I have formerly examined ſomewhat at large; The voluntary conſecration of it by Chriſtians no man hath cauſe to embrace, who profeſſeth himſelfe not ſatisfied with the bare ordinance of the Church, as but erſt the Doctor did. Of Brentius I have ſpoken enough; yet well fare him that profeſſeth the authority of the day to be ſo farre divine, that he who ſhall neglect it, or raſhly breake it, doth forthwith become worſe then the Jew or Infidell. As for the Arminians, what reſpect ſoever they pretend to the patterne of the primitive Church, like enough they could be very well content with the Socinians, to make all dayes equall in uſe, as well as they are in nature, or in reſpect of any myſterious ſignification; I leave Azorius to refreſh himſelfe with the juyce of his owne diſtinction; It is well that Suarez comes ſo farre as to profeſſe that practically it is not alterable by the Church. As for Calvin, Bucer, Chemnitius, and the reſt, who are onelyonly ſayd to affirme that ſtill the Church hath power to change the Lords day to ſome other, I finde no ſuch thing in Calvin, and Bucer: as for what Chemnitius delivers hereupon, in my judgement hee ſayth no more then Calvin: though ſome particulars in him I have found to be weake enough, upon diſcuſſion in the 6 Section, of my anſwer to the Preface: having there met with the ſame names, named to the ſame purpoſe. It is not credible to mee they ſhould give power to the Church to bring us backe to the Jewiſh Sabbath: in that caſe who ſhould ſavour moſt of Judaiſme? or preferre us to the Turkes feſtivall day which is the Friday. To be inſtituted in memory of our redemption, admits an ambiguous ſignification; That bringing with it a new Creation, and ſo requiring a new Sabbath; as Biſhop Andrewes diſcourſeth and Athanaſius 1200 yeares before him; No day had a better marke for this to be preferred into the place of the Jewes Sabbath then the day of Chriſts Reſurrection; yet conſidering that not that day of the yeare; but that day of the weeke is called in Scripture the Lords Day, this maketh it evidently to ſavour of Divine inſtitution, yet it is well that here it is acknowledged p. 239to be expreſly of traditions Apoſtolicall. Beza addeth, & vere Divinae, on Revel. 1.10. I truſt we ſhall ever give due reſpect, both to Law, and Goſpell; and the better concurrence wee finde of them for the maintenance of any doctrine of ours, the more cauſe wee ſhall have to rejoyce therein without feare of cenſure for the mixing of them, or framing any Sabbaticall Idoll out of them. It is not the firſt time I have read of ſome ſuch aſperſion in Rogers his preface to his Analyſis of the Articles of the Church of England; And the next yeere was printed D. Willet upon Geneſis dedicated to King Iames, where on the 2. ch. 3. v. he concludes his diſcourſe on this argument after this manner; But theſe allegations are here ſuperfluous, ſeeing there is a learned treatiſe of the Sabbath already publiſhed of this argument (meaning D. Bownds diſcourſe thereon) Which containeth a moſt ſound doctrine of the Sabbath, Girded at by Mr. Rogers.as is layd downe in the former poſitions, which ſhalbe able to abide the triall of the Word of God; and ſtand warranted thereby, when other humane fantaſies ſhall vaniſh: howſoever ſome in their heate and intemperance, are not afraid to call them Sabbatarian errors, yea hereticall aſſertions, a new Iubily, Saint Sabbath, more then either Iewiſh or Popiſh inſtitution; much leſſe doe wee feare the ſtory of the Jew of Teukesbury; Solomon hath taught us that the righteous ſpareth his beaſt, and in our Saviours dayes the Jewes themſelves though very ſuperſtitious in the obſervation of their Sabbath, yet ſhewed mercy towards their beaſts in leading to them to water, and helping them out of the ditch on their Sabbath day. But God can give men over into a minde voyd of all judgement, as to the deſtruction of their ſoules, ſo to the temporall deſtruction of their bodies alſo, and that as in the way of profanenes, wherof we have manifold experience, ſo in the way of ſuperſtition. Now ſuch ſtories are pretty flouriſhes, and pleaſing to the judicious, provided they are to purpoſe, and ſound argument hath not beene wanting to juſtifie the doctrine they maintaine: but when they are out of ſeaſon, or ſupply the want of better argument, they want their grace, and are pleaſing only to the ignorant or partialiſt. At length I am come unto the laſt Section.

For the one halfe of this Section, there is little or nothing controverted betweene us. But here we have a faire diſtinction p. 240as good as confeſſed, betweene a ceremoniall reſt, and another reſt, which is deſcribed by a reſt from workes, as it is an impediment to the performance of ſuch duties, as are then commanded: this I can a reſt morall, the rather that the diſtinction may not flye with one wing: That of Saint Hierome is a quick paſſage on Act. 18. affirming that Saint Paul when hee had none to whom to preach in the congregation, did on the Lords day uſe the workes of his occupation. I will not anſwer, as the outlandiſh Prieſts faſhion was, as Sir Thomas More reports the ſtory, Domine novi locum, verum reſpondeo, ſumitur dupliciter; ſo gratifying his adverſaries argument with one member of his diſtinction; and his owne, in providing for eſcape out of the briers by the other: leaſt I might be ſerved as Sir Thomas More ſerved the Prieſt, pretending to quote ſuch a chapter of Saint Matthew, or Marke, when there were not ſo many in the whole Goſpell, or ſuch a verſe in a certaine Chapter, when there were not ſo many verſes at all. Therefore I deſire to conſult Hierome, but Hierome hath not at all written upon the Acts; and where elſe to ſeeke it I know not. Yet I deny not, but that Dietericus the Lutheran upon the 17. Dominicall after Trinity Sunday, hath ſuch a paſſage, Hieronymus ex Act. 18. v. 2. & 4. colligit, quod die etiam Dominica, quando quibus in publico conci…na…etur, Pa…lus non habebat, ma…bus ſuis lab…ravi…. But where it is that Hierome doth collect this he doth not ſpecifie …t our Saviour was borne under the Law, and knew full well, it became him to fulfill all righteouſneſſe, and therefore undoubtedly he never did tranſgreſſe the fourth commandement: indeed ſome there are, who diſtaſte the name of Sabbath now a dayes; and truly the Ancients doe uſually ſpeake of the Lords day, in diſtinction from the Sabbath, becauſe that denomination doth denote the Saturday; but I doubt, that in theſe dayes it is diſtaſted in another reſpect, even for the reſt of it; which I no where finde diſtaſted amongſt the Ancients, nor any libertie given by them for ſports and paſtimes on the Lords day: But our booke of Homilies ſpeakes plainly in ſaying, The Sunday is our Sabbath day. And Proclamations that come forth in his Majeſties name uſually call the Lords day by the name of Sabbath. And in the conference at Hampton Court, Doctor Raynolds made a p. 241motion, for preſerving the Sabbath day from prophanation, according to the Kings proclamation, neither have we heard of any prelate of this kingdome, that then interpoſed to alter that phraſe; And which is more, our Saviour calls it the Sabbath, ſpeaking of the times of the Goſpell, when the Jewiſh Sabbath was to bee buried with Chriſt, to wit, Matth. 24.20. and Doctor Andrewes in his patterne of Catecheticall Doctrine, juſtifieth this interpretation of that place, and that to this end, ſo to maintaine the continuance of a Sabbath amongſt us Chriſtians. I doe highly approve the diſtinction following of things commanded, and things permitted on the Lords day, and the explication of each member; the object of the one, all actions advancing Gods ſervice, the object of the other, ſuch things as are no hinderance thereunto; As in the firſt place workes of neceſſitie; then workes of charitie; yet the permitting of theſe, is rightly to be underſtood; not ſo as if the workes of neceſſity here mentioned, were in ſuch ſort permitted as left to a mans liberty, whether he will performe them or no. For undoubtedly we are bound as much as lyes in our power, to quench a dangerous fire kindled in a Towne, on the Sabbath day, it being a worke of mercy, neceſſarily required. For if to returne a pledge ere the poore pawner of it went to his bed, in caſe it were his covering, were a worke of mercy, how much more to ſave a mans houſe from burning, how much more to ſave a whole Towne from being conſumed, whereby many might bee driven to lye without doores, void of all comfort to the body? So to draw the ox out of the ditch, and to lead Cattels to watering, I take it to bee a worke of mercy, as tending to the preſervation of life in a dum creature. In like ſort the dreſſing of meat for the health of mans body, I take to bee a worke of mercy. So that the performing of theſe in reference to the end whereto they tend, I take to be of neceſſary duty (as here they are called workes of neceſſitie) and conſequently not permitted only, but commanded alſo in the generall, though not in this commandement; but in the ſecond commandement of the ſecond table only they are ſaid to be permitted on the Lords day to ſignifie, that the fourth commandement doth not enjoyne them nor forbid them, in commanding reſt from workes on that day, and the p. 242ſanctifying of that reſt. I doe not doubt but that charitie begins from it ſelfe, and the Scripture commands us to love our neighbour as our ſelves. And can wee performe better love to our ſelves in advancing our owne good, then by making The Sabbath our delight, to conſecrate it as glorious to the Lord? As for the recreations, which are here ſaid to ſerve lawfully to the refreſhing of our Spirits; this appellation is very ambiguous, neither doe I know any difference betweene the recreating of our Spirits, and the refreſhing of our Spirits: yet here the refreſhing of our Spirits is made the end of recreation. Againe it were good to diſtinguiſh betweene recreation of the body, and recreation of the mind. I thinke the refreſhing of Spirits pertaines to the recreation of the body; mens ſpirits are naturall and materiall things, and they are apt to bee waſted firſt naturally: for as life conſiſts in calido, in an hot matter, ſo heate is apt to ſpend and waſte the matter wherein it is; and Spirits thus waſted are recreated, that is, repaired by eating and drinking. And thus proviſions of victuall are commonly called recreats. 2. Secondly they are waſted alſo by labour voluntarily undertaken, and theſe are repaired, as by the former way, ſo by reſt alſo. And each way we are allowed to recreate our ſpirits on the Lords day; and as to allow ſuch reſt to our ſervants as a work of mercy, ſo to our own bodies alſo. But now a dayes many courſes are called recreations, wherein there is found little reſt; and the naturall Spirits of man are rather waſted, and his nature tyred; farre more then the one is repaired, or the other eaſed. And when all comes to all, I doubt the iſſue will be, to ſtile the pleaſures of our ſenſes by the cleanly name of recreations. Now the Jewes were expreſſely forbidden to find their owne pleaſure on the Lords holy day Eſ. 58.13. yet were they not forbidden all pleaſure, that belonged only to ſuch a Sabbath as was a faſt; and therein indeed hypocrites are taxed for finding pleaſure on that day Eſ. 58.3. But the weekely Sabbath, was for pleaſure and delight, but not for mans owne pleaſure, nor for the doing of their owne wayes. But to delight in the Lord, which is ſpirituall pleaſure, and the recreating of our ſouls in the Lord: this is a bleſſed reſt, thus to reſt unto him; and the word of God is the beſt food of the ſoule; No recreates like unto Gods holy ordinances. Of wiſedome p. 243it is ſaid, that her wayes are the wayes of pleaſantneſſe. I willingly confeſſe, that to the naturall man, as the things of God are fooliſhneſſe, ſo the word of God is a reproach unto him, Pro. 3.17. 1 Cor. 2.14. Ier. 6.10. Luc. 8.14.Prov 3:171 Cor 2:14Jer 6:10Luke 8:14hee hath no delight in it. Hee delights rather in carnall pleaſures; and is it fit to humour him in ſuch courſes, and that on the Lords day? our Saviour expreſly tells us, that The pleaſures of life choake the word, and make it become unfruitfull: Therefore it no way fits a man to Gods Service; And if way be opened to ſuch courſes, though not till after evening prayer; as many as are taken with them, will have their minds running upon them, ſo as to ſay, when will the Sabbath be gone, and the time of Divine ſervice be over? that ſo they may come to their ſports, as well as covetous perſons longed after the like, that they may returne to their trading. A naturall man, before his calling is diſcribed unto us in Scripture, to bee ſuch a one as ſerved luſts and diverſe pleaſures, Tit. 3.3. Iob. 36.11. Eſ. 47.8.Titus 3:3Job 36:11Isa 47:8and the wicked are ſaid to ſpend their dayes in pleaſure; and ſuch are they, whom the Prophet deſcribeth after this manner, Heare now thou that art given to pleaſure. As for the children of God, as they are renewed in their affections generally, ſo the matter of their delight is much altered; His delight is in the Law of the Lord; Pſal. 1.2. Pſal. 40.1:Ps 1:2Ps 40:1as Chriſt ſayeth, I delight to do thy will, and Pſal. 119.16. J delight my ſelfe in thy Statutes, & v. 24. thy teſtimonies are my delight, and 47. I will delight my ſelfe in the commandement, and Pſalme 94.19. Thy comforts delight my ſoule: on the other ſide, the Character of the foole is this, H… hath no delight in underſtanding. Pſal. 18.2.Ps 18:2As for the reformation of ſuch fooles, let every wiſe & ſober Chriſtian conſider, whether it be a fit courſe to let the reynes looſe upon their neck, and give them liberty to take their courſes, and not rather to endevour to weane them therefrom by repreſenting the vanity of them, witneſſed by the experience of King Solomon, Eccleſ. 2.8.Eccl 2:8who was acquainted with the delights of the Sonnes of men as much as any, and tells us what fruit and profit hee reaped by them, ſaying, vanitie of vanities, all is but vanitiy; and that the end of all that diſcourſe of his, is to promote this exhortation, Feare God, and keepe his commandements, For this is whole man; then on the other ſide, the bleſſed, the comfortable and only profitable condition of delighting in the Lord, in the judgement of David, the Father of King Solomon, Delight p. 244thou in the Lord, and he ſhall give thee thy hearts deſire; to meete with the contrary judgement of carnall men, who ſay, It profitteth not a man, Pſ. 37.4. Job 34.9.Ps 37:4Job 34:9that he ſhould delight himſelfe with God. If it be ſaid that ſuch ſports are tolerated, to fit a man for his calling the day following; It is very ſtrange, that workes of our calling ſhould not be permitted on any part of the Sabbath day, and ſports and paſtimes ſhould; And ſhall not the ſpending of our time in Gods Service, not publique only, but private alſo, farre better fit us to ſerve God in the workes of our calling, and make us more capable of his bleſſing upon our labours, then the exerciſing of our ſelves in ſports and paſtimes? As for the maintaining of good neighbourhood, I appeale to every mans conſcience, whether Chriſtian neighbourhood be not better maintained, in meeting together in the repeating of a Sermon, the word in the originall being only Conſortium, or in edifying one another in holy communication; then in meeting together at beare-baiting, or at a play, or at a may game, or to look upon a morice dance. 2. whether on the Lords day which is our Chriſtian Sabbath it is not fit to maintaine neighbourhood, and Communion in things ſpirituall; as at other times to maintaine neighbourhood in things civill, and temporall. To conclude this, there are 3. things that in this diſcourſe give little ſatisfaction. 1. that under recreations are comprehended not only ſuch courſes as recreate, and refreſh the Spirits, wherby men are made more fit for labour both of body, and minde, but alſo, (and that more principally intended as it ſemees) the pleaſing of the ſenſes, and eſpecially the eye and the eare, and thus mens pleaſures carnall pleaſures are cleanely carryed under the ſtile of recreations, and refreſhments of the ſpirit, when they deſerve rather to be called the tickling of the fleſh. 2. here is no mention made of the end whereunto recreations tend which ought to be only to fit us either for the labours of our ſpeciall vocations, or for the works of our generall calling, as ſauſe is for meats. 3. Laſtly under recreations lawfull there ſeemes to be no intention to acknowledge our converſing with God in any recreation; yet Ariſtotle could take notice of a pleaſure taken in this that a man knowes by curious demonſtration, that a Triangle containes three angles equall to two right: ſuch like thing was that which Archimedes rejoyced in, when p. 245he cried out foreign. And Pythagoras as I remember, ſacrificed a great ſacrifice upon the finding out the equality of the ſquare of the ſubtendent line in a rectangle Triangle, to the ſquares of the two ſides. So a ſcholar takes delight in finding out by curious demonſtration the ſquaring of a Circle, a thing confeſſed by Ariſtotle to be knowable, but the demonſtration of it hath not beene found untill about fifty yeares agoe, as Salmuth writes upon Pancirolla. Should any pleaſure taken in any other worldly thing, be comparable to that which ought to be taken in the enjoying of friends, and their mutuall communication? I have heard it accompted the beſt muſick; how much leſſe ſhould be all other pleaſure in compariſon to that pleaſure which is taken in God,Pſal. 36.8.Ps 36:8 who hath Rivers of pleaſures in his houſe, wherewith to entertaine us? not to ſpeake of that fulneſſe of joy which is in his preſence, Pſal. 16.11.Ps 16:11and at his right hand pleaſures for evermore, Gods ſoule foreign takes pleaſure in us: why ſhould not we take delight in him? Is not all other rejoycing in compariſon to our rejoycing in him a rejoycing in a thing of nought▪ Amos 6.13.Amos 6:13Certainly he that loveth any pleaſure or paſtime in compariſon to this, will in the end prove to be a very poore creature. But to proceed; after this a rule is given, That this our chriſtian liberty be voyd of ſcandall, to wit, of ſcandall juſtly given, Prov. 21.17.Prov 21:17and not vainely caught at; but in what caſes it falls out to be juſtly given, and in what not; in what caſe it is vainly caught at, and in what not, here we find no explication; which yet I preſume will ſeeme neceſſary in every wiſe mans judgement; eſpecially to me it muſt needs ſeeme ſo, being as I am, in extreame deſpaire of deviſing theſe different caſes of mine owne head. Of Chriſtian liberty from the yoke of Jewiſh ceremonies I have read, but of Chriſtian liberty unto ſports, and paſtimes, under the gentile notion of recreations, and that on the Lords day, I never read till now. The Jewes to this day continue their ceremonies, but not any abſtinence from al ſports, and paſtimes on their Sabbath; for if they did, why ſhould Auſtin tell them, it were better for them to goe to plough then to dance? In the very feſtivalls of the Jewes which were yearely, a difference there was in the dayes of each; the firſt, and laſt were Sabbaths appointed for holy convocations, and thereon abſtinence commanded from all ſervile works; I no where finde any piping p. 246and dancing on thoſe dayes, ſaving their temple muſick; how much more undecent is it to clap the weekely Sabbath, together with other feſtivalls, as if there were no difference: foreign ſignifies to be moved round, and conſequently it ſignifies, as ſometimes to dance, as 1 Sam. 30. ſo ſometimes alſo to ſtagger like a drunken man, Pſal. 107.27. And dancing was uſed ſometimes in the feſtivalls of the Jewes, whereby they teſtified their rejoycing in the Lord, Ier. 31. and with a pipe they came to the mount of the Lord, Eſ. 30. and Miriam Moſes ſiſter, and other women alſo with Timbrells, and dances expreſſed their joy in the Lord for their deliverance from the hands of the Egyptians, and for their ſafe paſſage through the red Sea, wherein the enemies were drowned. But of any ſuch courſe uſed on the firſt, and laſt day of their yearely feaſts, which were ſet apart for holy convocations, we find no example amongſt them; much leſſe as approved, while they continued the Church, and people of God, leaſt of all on the weekely Sabbath. As for love feaſts on the Sabbath untill abuſe crept in, they continued without exception in great ſobriety, only to quicken one another, and provoke unto love, and gracious communication for the edification of their ſouls. I never heard of any ſchiſmatique how raſhly zealous or Stoicall ſoever, that tooke upon him the authority of the civill magiſtrate: All for ought I know, concurre in this, that it belongs onelyonly to the magiſtrate out of coercitive power to command, and compell, but to the Miniſter of what ſect ſoever, only to perſuade, and worke upon mens conſciences: ſo that the members of this compariſon are moſt indecently yoaked feigning men to be of what ſpirit ſoever it pleaſeth to ſhape them, and to doe whatſoever they thinke good, though never ſo unreaſonably, and without all example. Of the Jewes I have read, that they count it unlawfull to kill a Flea on the Sabbath; and ſuch things muſt be pinned upon the ſleeve of oppoſites to grace their cauſe, for want of better arguments to ſtrengthen it. Infine we have a buffe givē to debauched companions in words, when under the cleanly terme of Recreations on the Lords Day, the courſe here taken is to ſacrifice unto them indeed, and in effect.

FINIS.

Doctor LAKE Biſhop of BATH, and Wells, Theſes de Sabbato.

1. GOD at firſt made us not only men, but alſo children of God.

2. Therefore wee had a double being, or were fitted for a double Societie

1. Civill.

2. Eccleſiaſticall.

3. Theſe ſtates are inwrapped the one in the other; For the Eccleſiaſticall preſupoſeth the Civill, He that is a child of God is a man, and hee muſt be of the Civill that is of the Eccleſiaſticall ſociety.

4. And the Civill ſtate muſt be ſeaſoned with, and moderated by the Eccleſiaſticall; for a man in his Civill ſtate muſt live as a child of God, and member of the Church.

5. Notwithſtanding God would that each of theſe ſtates ſhould during this World, have ſucceſſively their principall imployments.

6. And for theſe imployments hee appointed certaine times.

7. The proportion of time allowed, the principall imployment of the civill ſtate was ſix dayes; And that which was allowed the principall imployment of Eccleſiaſticall ſtate was one day.

8. What times himſelfe tooke for to work in or reſt after the Creation, the ſame did hee aſſigne to men, and made his patterne a perpetuall Law?

9. So then of our time God reſerved a ſeventh part for his ſervice.

10. But in this apportioning as he reſerved a ſeventh part of time; ſo was that ſeventh the ſeventh day of the weeke.

11. Whereof the ground was his reſt from labour.

12. For that he would have to be the day of mans reſt, becauſe he ſanctified it.

13. And though, no meane both Jewes, and Chriſtians doubt of the beginning of this obſervance by man, yet I thinke it began with Adam.

14. God had a Church and a ſervice of his owne preſcript from the beginning; and why ſhould we doubt whether hee cloathed then his ſervice with due circumſtances of

Time.

Place.

15 Did he ſanctifie it for his owne uſe? That were abſurd to thinke the Word ſanctifying doth refute it; for whom then? ſurely for man.

16. And the place Exod. 16. together with the Preface to the fourth Commandement [remember] weigh more with me then all the weake preſumptions that are brought to the contrary.

17. I conclude then, that the fourth Commandement is not an introduction, but a declaratory Law.

18. But moreover I adde, that when it was delivered to the Jewes there was ſuperadded, a diſtinguiſhing reference to that Church.

19. For it was preſcribed as a ſigne of Gods ſanctifying reſidence amongſt them; and a memoriall of their freedome from Egyptian bondage.

20. But theſe acceſſories derogate not from the firſt inſtitution.

21. No more doth the forme of Liturgy which was occaſioned by the fall, or their freedome.

22. Theſe things ſhew rather to what ſpeciall uſe they did apply the time, then touch the apportionment thereof.

23. The apportionment of time (of which I take theſe Queſtions moved) hath two remarkable things.

24.

1. That God reſerveth a ſeventh part of time,

2. That hee deſigneth which of the ſeven days ſhall be his.

25. The reſerving of the ſeventh part I hold, to be by Gods Ordinance who is not variable in his choice, as everlaſting as the World, becauſe appointed before the fall.

26. And ſo ſhould the hallowing of the ſeventh day from the Creation have beene as laſting, had it not beene for ſin, for what could have altered it but a new Creation?

27. But man having ſinned, and ſo by ſin aboliſhed the firſt Creation de jure, though not de facto, God was pleaſed to make by Chriſtan inſtauration of the World.

28. Hee (as the Scripture ſpeakes of Chriſts Redemption) made a new Heaven, and a new Earth; old things paſſed then away, and ſo all things were made new.

29 Yea every man in Chriſt is a new Creature.

30 As God then when he ended the firſt Creation, made a day of reſt, and ſanctified it.

31 So did Chriſt, when he ended his worke, make a day of reſt and ſanctified it.

32. Not altering the proportion of time which is eternall, but taking the firſt day of ſeven for his portion, becauſe ſin had made the ſeventh alterable, Therefore.

33. This firſt day ſucceeded the ſeventh, and by that was this memoriall aboliſhed.

34 And although the Apoſtles were indulgent to the Jewes in keeping the ſeventh as well as the firſt, when they converſed with them; untill the deſtruction of the Temple.

35 Yet would they not endure, that the Gentiles ſhould be tied to the obſervation thereof.

36. This firſt day Chriſt ſanctified not only by his reſurrection, but alſo by ſundry apparitions before his aſcenſion, and after his aſcenſion by ſending thereon the Holy Ghoſt; this is cleare in the Goſpell and Actes.

37 The Apoſtles directed by Chriſts not onelyonly example, but ſpirits alſo, obſerved the ſame; witneſſe in the Acts S. Paul; S. Iohn in the Revelation.

38 And from the Apoſtles the Catholike Church uniformly received it; witneſſe all Eccleſiaſticall writers.

39 And the Church hath received it not to be Liberae obſervationis, as if men might at their pleaſure, accept or refuſe it.

40 But to be perpetually obſerved to the Worlds end; for as God only hath power to apportion his time: ſo hath he power to ſet out the day that hee will take for his portion, for hee is Lord of the Sabbath.

41 And he doth it by the worke which hee doth on the day; the worke I ſay doth difference a day from a day.

42 Whereas otherwiſe all dayes are equall, and the ſame in themſelves; as the ſonne of Syrach teacheth.

43 Now then when God doth any remarkable worke, then will hee be honoured with a commemoration day for that worke; if the worke concerne the whole by the whole Church; and by a part if it concerne a part.

44 And his will is underſtood often by his precept, but when we have not that, the practiſe doth guide the Church.

45 This is a catholick rule obſerveable in the inſtitution of all ſacred feaſts both Divine and Humane.

46 The worke of the day is the ground of hallowing the day, whether it be weekly monethly or yearly, as particulars evince in Scripture and Hiſtory.

47 No man can tranſlate the worke, therefore can no man tranſlate the day; this is an undoubted rule in Theology.

48 And no man can in reaſon deny due reſpect unto the worke, therefore hee cannot deny the hallowing of the day; a true rule in morality.

49 Now then ſeeing the Lords Day hath not altered the proportion of time, but onelyonly changed the day, though not properly, yet by analogy; though not with the acceſſories, yet according to the Originall Sabbath, It may well agree with the tenor of the fourth Commandement, and the obſervance thereof be commanded therein.

According to theſe Theſes which I hold true, untill any of them be confuted, I will point out what I miſlike in the Queſtions or the Anſwers: not every particular, but ſome principall points.

Figure the Section of the Anſwers in your booke, and you ſhall the better fit my Theſes to them.

Queſtion 1.

VVHat doe you mean when you pray after the fourth Commandement, Lord have mercy upon us, &c. The 49 Theſes anſwereth, that we meane not the Jewiſh Sabbath, but that which analogically to the Originall Sabbath we obſerve, The Lords Day.

Queſtion 2. Sect. 1.

The obſervation of the Sabbath ſome ſay is morall, and perpetuall.]

By Sabbath you muſt underſtand the Lords Day, otherwiſe none but Hereticks hold this opinion.

Then I thinke the proportion of time is perpetuall Theſi 15; though if you looke to the aſſignation of the day, it is not perpetuall; ſin hath altered it occaſionally, and God Cauſally; abſque hoc it was intended that it ſhould be perpetuall, Theſi 26.

But whether is the obſervation of the Lords Day morall?

Certainly this is a morall rule; to hallow the day wherein God doth ſome remarkable worke. Theſ. 43. & 48.

But Chriſt did riſe for the reſtauration of the World this day, therefore the obſervance thereof morall.

Were it an abſolute aſſignation of time, the appointing of the Lords Day, it might be doubted: but take this circumſtance as it cloatheth the worke, then I hold it cleare, that though time be but a circumſtance, yet the obſervance of time ſo underſtood is Morall.

But there is a mutability in the obſervance of ſuch times as cloath Gods works, becauſe the works themſelves are ſubject to mutability, and ſo the ſeventh day was changed for the firſt, becauſe the firſt Creation needed an inſtauration; and he that cauſed the Inſtauration might make the alteration. Theſi 33.